Concrete Slabs Reinforced with FRP or Steel Reinforcements

Experiments are first conducted on simply-supported square concrete slabs with fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) reinforcements with a gradually increasing concentrated central static load. Similar experiments on slabs are then repeated with steel reinforcements. The experimental load-carrying capacities are compared to those obtained using yield line analysis. The experiments showed that the slabs with FRP reinforcements performed better than those with the steel reinforcements. Practical examples are also presented for uniformly loaded square and rectangular concrete slabs reinforced with FRP reinforcements, utilizing existing analysis and design expressions modified herein to account for the use of FRP reinforcements.