A paper by Prof. Christopher Leung and his co-workers has been selected as the Best Applied Research Paper published in the ASCE Journ
A paper by Prof. Christopher Leung and his co-workers, entitled "Effect of Size on the Failure of Geometrically Similar Concrete Beams Strengthened in Shear with FRP Strips," has been selected as the Best Applied Research Paper published in the ASCE Journal of Composites for Construction during the year 2007.
The major finding of the paper is the significant decrease in strengthening effectiveness (defined as the percentage increase in load capacity relative to the un-strengthened member) with member size when concrete beams are strengthened in shear with fiber reinforced plastics (FRP) in the commonly employed U-configuration (where FRP strips or sheets are bonded to the sides and bottom of a beam). The important implication is that current design equations, based on the empirical fitting of data from laboratory specimens that are mostly small in size, will significantly overestimate the load capacity of larger members employed in real structures. In the paper, physical explanations for the size effect are provided. By challenging current understanding and practice, this study paves the way for further research to develop better design approaches for shear strengthened concrete beams.
