Behavior of prestressed
concrete I-girders
strengthened in shear
with externally bonded
fiber-reinforced-polymer sheets
Michael Murphy, Abdeldjelil Belarbi, and Sang-Wook Bae
■  This paper reports an investigation of the failure modes and
ultimate bearing capacity of 16 full-scale prestressed concrete
girders strengthened in shear with externally bonded carbon-
fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets.
■  Test parameters include the cross-sectional shape, effects of
preexisting damage, CFRP strengthening scheme, different
anchorage systems, and transverse steel reinforcement ratio.
■  The test results show that the failure modes are complex and
can vary considerably with respect to the test parameters.
■  The test results also show that the application of externally
bonded CFRP shear reinforcement might not increase the load-
carrying capacity of a prestressed concrete girder.
F
iber-reinforced-polymer (FRP) composite materi-
als have been used as construction materials over
the past two decades. FRP composites can replace
traditional steel reinforcement in new construction. Ex-
ternally bonded composite plates or sheets are being used
for the repair, strengthening, and rehabilitation of aging
and deteriorated structures. It is the latter application that
has shown the greatest promise as a cost-effective solution
to the growing problem of structurally deficient concrete
structures in the United States and worldwide.
Composite alternatives have advantages over traditional
strengthening methods in terms of strength-to-weight ratio,
corrosion resistance in the case of carbon and aramid fi-
bers, speed and simplicity of application, and versatility in
conforming to various cross-sectional shapes. Many exper-
imental investigations have shown externally bonded FRP
composites to be effective in increasing the load-carrying
capacity of concrete members such as columns and gird-
ers. Most of these studies have focused on axial (confine-
ment) or flexural strengthening. While flexure is typically
the limiting mode of failure in bridge girder design, shear
failure may dominate in cases where the original trans-
verse reinforcement has severely corroded or the flexural
strength has been increased. In such cases, increasing the
shear capacity can prevent catastrophic shear failure.
PCI Journal | S u m m e r 2012 63
 Experimental studies on shear strengthening with FRP
are limited and have mostly considered only small-scale
reinforced concrete beams.1 However, analytical models
proposed in the literature for shear strengthening with FRP
are numerous and in most cases contradictory in their pre-
dictions of the FRP shear contribution.2 Even in traditional
reinforced concrete members without externally bonded
FRP reinforcement, shear design presents a complex
challenge that relies more on semiempirical methods in
contrast to design for axial load or flexure.
Accounting for externally bonded FRP shear reinforcement
with its specific characteristics adds to the complexity of
shear design. The difficulty in defining the shear contribu-
tion of FRP arises from its anisotropy combined with a
wide variety of possible reinforcement configurations. FRP
reinforcement configurations in shear include the selection
of surfaces to be bonded (side bonding, U wrap, complete
wrap), continuous reinforcement or a series of discrete
strips, and orientation of the primary direction of fibers.
The bond characteristics between the FRP and concrete
substrate are an additional complexity in understanding the
contribution of FRP to shear strength. The effectiveness of
the strengthening method has also been found to depend
on the mode of failure that has been experimentally shown
to vary between tensile rupture of the FRP and sequential
debonding of the FRP, depending on the anchorage condi-
tions.
Although design standards for FRP shear strengthening are
still under development, FRPs have already been used as
external strengthening in a number of field applications.3,4
Current guidelines for FRP shear strengthening have been
based on modifications to existing shear provisions. The
applicability and accuracy of such design methods have
been validated through experimental testing, mostly on
small-scale reinforced concrete beams. This study was
designed to extend current knowledge by investigating the
effectiveness of using externally bonded FRPs for increas-
ing the shear strength of full-scale prestressed concrete
girders.
Research significance
Most of the present research has investigated the behavior
of traditional mild steel-reinforced concrete structures
strengthened in shear with FRP, with only limited studies
on prestressed concrete structures. In the present study, the
behavior of full-scale American Association of State High-
way and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)-type gird-
ers, particularly the failure modes, was investigated in a
comprehensive experimental program. The study revealed
that FRP strengthening for shear was not as effective for
prestressed concrete structures as for reinforced concrete
structures and the effectiveness varied with the shape of the
cross section.
64 S um me r 2 0 1 2 | PCI Journal
Experimental program
A total of 8 full-scale MoDOT (Missouri Department of
Transportation) LRFD Bridge Design Guidelines5 Type 3
and Type 4 precast, prestressed concrete girders were con-
structed, with each girder designed to provide two distinct
test regions for a total of 16 test specimens. The depths of
the Type 3 and Type 4 girders are 39 in. (990 mm) and 45 in.
(1140 mm), respectively. The test girders were designed
such that shear would be the governing failure mode with
consideration for both the American Concrete Institute’s
(ACI’s) Building Code Requirements for Structural Con-
crete (ACI 318-08) and Commentary (ACI 318R-08)6 and
AASHTO’s Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges
or AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications.7 Table 1
summarizes the test parameters, material properties, and test
results. The nomenclature of the specimen indicates the test
parameters considered in this experimental study:
• size of girders (T4 = Type 4; T3 = Type 3)
• stirrup spacing (12 in. or 18 in. [300 mm or 460 mm])
• carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) strengthening
configuration (S90 = strips at 90 degrees, S45 = strips at
45 degrees)
• presence and type of mechanical anchorage
• presence of preexisting damage/cracks (PC)
Four different cross-section types were used for the test
girders (Fig. 1). The differences in the cross-section types
investigated include the size of the girder according to the
MoDOT LRFD guidelines (Type 3 and Type 4), the pres-
ence or absence of a deck slab, the shape of the deck slab,
and the flexural reinforcement scheme.
The test girders were constructed in a local precast con-
crete plant and delivered to the testing laboratory. Deck
slabs were constructed for all girders except for Type I
girders (Fig. 1). CFRP sheets were used for strengthen-
ing. Twelve-inch-wide (300 mm), single-ply CFRP strips
were applied using the wet lay-up technique in a U-wrap
configuration. The fibers were oriented at either 90 or
45 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the girders
(Table 1). The CFRP strips were spaced to provide a 6 in.
(150 mm) gap.
Table 1 summarizes the concrete compressive strengths
measured for each specimen at the time of testing. Me-
chanical properties for the transverse and flexural steel
reinforcement were also evaluated (Table 2). The CFRP
used for strengthening consisted of unidirectional carbon-
fiber sheets. Table 2 also provides the mechanical proper-
ties for the CFRP as provided by the manufacturer and
validated by coupon testing.
 Table 1. Summary of test parameters and test results

Cross- Fiber
Anchorage Vcr , Vu ,
Specimen* section v f direction,† a /d f c'  g , psi f c'  s , psi Failure mode
types kip kip
type degrees

T4-12-Control I 0.0031 0 None None 2.9 9970 n/a 139 202 Top flange‡

T4-18-Control I 0.0020 0 None None 2.9 9930 n/a 140 206 Top flange‡

T4-18-S90-NA I 0.0020 0.0014 90 None 2.9 10,020 n/a 149 193 Top flange‡

T4-18-S90-CMA II 0.0020 0.0014 90 CMA 2.9 10,120 5240 136 229 Top flange‡

T4-18-S90-DMA II 0.0020 0.0014 90 DMA 2.9 10,160 7370 161 244 Top flange‡

T4-18-S45-DMA II 0.0020 0.0010 45 DMA 2.9 10,190 7840 161 255 Top flange‡

T4-12-Control-Deck II 0.0031 0 None None 2.9 10,660 10,730 141 245 Top flange‡

T4-12-S90-SDMA II 0.0031 0.0014 90 SDMA 2.9 10,330 10,810 108 258 Top flange‡

Stress
T3-12-Control III 0.0031 0 None None 3.4 8890 8520 126 253
concentration§

T3-12-S90-NA III 0.0031 0.0014 90 None 3.4 8910 8760 130 271 Web crushing||

T3-12-S90-NA-PC# III 0.0031 0.0014 90 None 3.4 9470 8670 n/a 239 Web crushing||

Stress
T3-12-S90-DMA III 0.0031 0.0014 90 DMA 3.4 10,380 9700 115 249
concentration§

Diagonal
T3-18-Control IV 0.0020 0 None None 3.4 9590 9820 120 252
tension**

Diagonal
T3-18-S90-NA IV 0.0020 0.0014 90 None 3.4 10,120 10,030 153 216
tension**

Diagonal
T3-18-S90-HS IV 0.0020 0.0014 90 HS 3.4 10,190 10,900 133 221
tension**

Diagonal
T3-18-S90-SDMA IV 0.0020 0.0014 90 SDMA 3.4 10,430 11,280 141 235
tension**
*
Specimen nomenclature: size of girders (T3 = Type 3; T4 = Type 4); stirrup spacing in inches (12; 18); carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer strengthening
configuration (S45 = strips at 45 degrees; S90 = strips at 90 degrees); presence and type of mechanical anchorage (CMA = continuous mechanical
anchorage plates; DMA = discontinuous mechanical anchorage plates; HS = horizontal carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer strips; NA = no anchorage;
SDMA = sandwiched discontinuous mechanical anchorage plates); presence of preexisting damage/cracks (PC).
†
Fiber direction with respect to the longitudinal direction of girders
‡
Failure in the top flange near the reaction point
§
Stress concentration in the top flange near the reaction point
||
Web crushing of concrete strut
#
Specimen tested to investigate effects of preexisting cracks prior to FRP strengthening
**
Diagonal tension cracking in the web
Note: a /d = shear span–to–depth ratio; CFRP = carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer; f c'  g = concrete strength of girders measured at the time of girder
testing; f c'  s = concrete strength of deck slab measured at the time of girder testing; n/a = not applicable; Vcr = measured shear force at initiation of
cracking; Vu = measured maximum shear force at failure; f = CFRP reinforcement ratio; v = transverse steel (stirrup) reinforcement ratio.
1 kip = 4.448 kN; 1 psi = 6.895 kPa.

Four different anchorage systems were investigated for • continuous mechanical anchorage system (CMA)
their abilities to prevent or delay the debonding associated
with FRP shear strengthening (Fig. 2): • discontinuous mechanical anchorage system (DMA)

PCI Journal | S u m m e r 2012 65

 13 in.

Horizontal shear studs

Deck slab
No. 5 bar spaced at 12 in. on center
12 in.

13 in.
Eight no. 8 bars Eight no. 8 bars
5 in. 5 in.
1 in.
1 in.

No. 3 bars spaced as needed 6 in.

( longitudinal reinforcement support)
6 in.

25 in. No. 3 stirrups No. 3 stirrups 25 in.

Twenty 0.6-in.-diameter tendons

prestressed to 40% of ultimate

6 in. 6 in.
No. 3 confinement bar

8 in. 8 in.

17 in. 17 in.

Cross section Type I Cross section Type II

for MoDOT Type 4 for MoDOT Type 4

21 in. Three no. 3 37 in.

bars

8 in. 8 in.
Two no. 5
bars

5 in. 5 in.
Ten no. 3 bars
1 in.

Three no. 6 bars

6 in.
6 in.

20 in. No.3 stirrups 20 in.

No. 3 stirrups
Twelve 0.6-in.-diameter tendons
prestressed to 70% of ultimate
Twenty-four 0.6-in.-diameter tendons
prestressed to 60% of ultimate
6 in. 6 in.
No. 3 confinement bar

7 in. 7 in.

Eleven no. 6 bars

17 in. 17 in.

Cross section Type III Cross section Type IV

for MoDOT Type 3 for MoDOT Type 3
Figure 1. Cross-sectional configurations of experimental precast concrete girders. Note: MoDOT = Missouri Department of Transportation. no. 3 = 10M; no. 5 = 16M;
no. 6 = 19M; no. 8 = 25M; 1 in. = 25.4 mm.

66 S um me r 2 0 1 2 | PCI Journal
Table 2. Mechanical properties of steel and CFRP reinforcement
Reinforcement type Grade, ksi
No. 3 stirrups 60
No. 6 flexural tension steel 60
0.6 in. seven-wire strand 270
CFRP sheets n/a
Note: CFRP = carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer; n/a = not applicable. no. 3 = 10M; no. 6 = 19M; 1 in. = 25.4 mm; 1 ksi = 6.895 MPa.
• sandwich panel discontinuous anchorage system
(SDMA)
• additional horizontal CFRP strips (HS)
The CMA system used continuous precured CFRP plates
anchored in place with concrete wedge anchors. The
DMA system used discontinuous precured CFRP plates
anchored in place with bolts running through the web. The
SDMA system used discontinuous precured CFRP plates
with sandwich wrapped ends anchored in place with bolts
running through the web. The HS system used 5 in. wide
(130 mm) strips of bidirectional (± 45 degrees) CFRP
strips applied parallel to the longitudinal axis of the beam
and covering all of the free edges of the vertical CFRP
strips as well as along the interface of the web and bottom
flange (locations where debonding is expected to initiate).
This anchorage system was installed immediately after
application of the vertical CFRP shear reinforcement to
ensure a better bond between the vertical and horizontal
CFRP sheets.
The test setup for all specimens consisted of a three-point
monotonic loading configuration (Fig. 3). Load was ap-
plied using two hydraulic actuators operating in parallel at
the farthest support under deformation control. By using
this loading configuration, the load demand on the actua-
tors is minimized, thus allowing failure of the specimens
to be achieved without exceeding the load capacity of the
actuators. The test setup also consisted of an additional ex-
ternal strengthening system composed of a series of hollow
steel sections and no. 11 (36M) reinforcing bars. This sys-
tem was intended to prevent failure from occurring outside
of the designated test region and to protect the second test
region from premature damage during testing of the first
test region. Preexisting cracks were introduced to specimen
T3-12-S90-NA-PC prior to the application of CFRP sheets
by applying load equivalent to 60% of the anticipated load-
carrying capacity. Figure 4 shows the preexisting cracks of
girder T3-12-S90-NA-PC.
Test results
Failure testing of the girders was performed in order of
cross-section Type I, II, III and IV (Fig. 1). Table 1 summa-
Ultimate strength, Modulus
Yield strength, ksi
ksi of elasticity, ksi
65 99 26,000
78 98 25,800
n/a 291 29,100
n/a 550 33,000
rizes the test results for measured shear force at initiation
of cracking Vcr , measured maximum shear force at failure
Vu , and corresponding failure modes. The measured shear
force at initiation of cracking Vcr corresponds to the first
observation of shear web cracks and also correlates with
the point at which steel stirrups and FRP begin to take
load. The measured maximum shear force at failure Vu
corresponds to the maximum shear force measured during
each test.
Because the cross-sectional type varies among the test
girders, direct comparison of Vu and corresponding failure
modes should be limited to those specimens sharing a
common cross-sectional geometry. Such comparison
shows that the application of externally bonded CFRP
sheets for shear strengthening did not always yield an
increase in the maximum shear capacity. This is because
the shear capacity of the test girders was affected by the
failure modes. However, these results are not enough to
suggest that shear strengthening of prestressed concrete
girders using externally bonded FRPs is ineffective. The
results presented here suggest that the effectiveness of
external strengthening using CFRP sheets is influenced by
the failure mode. Therefore, this paper discusses the failure
modes of test girders in each cross-sectional type and the
contribution of CFRP sheets.
Failure modes
A variety of failure modes was observed among the test
specimens, including failure along the top flange, debond-
ing of FRP, localized rupture of FRP, diagonal shear
tension, web crushing, mechanical anchorage failure, and
stress concentration at reaction point. Table 1 presents the
ultimate contributing failure modes for each test girder,
and Fig. 5–8 show the test girders at failure.
The first series of tests was performed on the test girders
with a Type I cross section (T4-12-Control, T4-18-Control,
and T4-18-S90-NA). For the unstrengthened specimens,
T4-12-Control, and T4-18-Control, diagonal cracks formed
first in the web. The maximum shear force was measured
when the diagonal cracks propagated into the top flange
near the reaction point (Fig. 5). For the strengthened speci-
men, T4-18-S90-NA, diagonal cracks formed in the web
PCI Journal | S u m m e r 2012 67
 13 in.

5 in.
1 in.

Applied load Anchor bolt 2 in.

0.5 in. diameter
20 in. 6 in.

3 in. 6 in.
4 in.

Plate length 150 in. 6 in.

CFRP sheet 7 in.

17 in.
CMA system

Applied load 13 in.

5 in.
1 in.

4 in. 6 in. 17 in.

20 in. 6 in.

Anchor rod CFRP sheets

0.375 in. diameter
6 in.

DMA system
7 in.

17 in.

CFRP plate
Bolt running
through web

CFRP sheet

SDMA system

Applied load

Horizontal CFRP strips

5 in. x 144 in.

CFRP sheet

HS system

Figure 2. Anchorage systems. Note: CFRP = carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer; CMA = continuous mechanical anchorage plates; DMA = discontinuous mechanical
anchorage plates; HS = horizontal FRP strips; SDMA = sandwiched discontinuous mechanical anchorage plates. 1 in. = 25.4 mm.

68 S um me r 2 0 1 2 | PCI Journal
Figure 3. General test setup configuration.

PCI Journal | S u m m e r 2012 69

 Figure 4. Preexisting cracks in T3-12-S90-NA-PC.
first, and the FRP strips started debonding. The maximum
shear force was measured when the diagonal cracks propa-
gated into the top flange near the reaction point (Fig. 5)
as also seen in the unstrengthened specimens. There was
no shear strength increase observed. The diagonal cracks
propagated into the top flange rather than the bottom flange
because the bottom flange is stiffer than the top flange. It
can be concluded that with this failure mode, shear strength
increase is not possible. Furthermore, it can be assumed
T4-12-Control
Figure 5. Type I test girders at failure.
T4-18-S90-CMA T4-18-S90-DMA
Figure 6. Type II test girders at failure.
70 S um me r 2 0 1 2 | PCI Journal
that shear strength will only increase if the test girders fail
by diagonal cracking through the bottom flange.
Based on the observations of the first test series, the second
series of tests (T4-18-S90-CMA, T4-18-S90-DMA, T4-18-
S45-DMA, T4-12-Control-Deck, and T4-12-S90-SDMA)
was designed so that the top flange had greater stiffness.
This was accomplished by adding a 12 in. deep (300 mm)
deck slab (Fig. 1). A complete CFRP wrap strengthen-
T4-18-Control T4-18-S90-NA
T4-18-S45-DMA
 T3-12-S90-NA T3-12-S90-NA-PC
Figure 7. Type III test girders at failure.
T3-18-Control T3-18-S90-NA
Figure 8. Type IV test girders at failure.
ing scheme for better confinement was also used in some
specimens (Fig. 6). Mechanical anchorage systems were
installed to avoid premature failure due to FRP debond-
ing (Fig. 6). These modifications postponed the cracking
observed in the first series of tests. However, failure did
not occur due to either FRP debonding or rupture. Instead,
buckling of the longitudinal compression reinforcement
produced horizontal cracking along the midheight of the
top flange (Fig. 6). No increase in shear strength due to
FRP was observed.
The third series of tests (T3-12-Control, T3-12-S90-NA,
T3-12-S90-NA-PC, and T3-12-S90-DMA) was designed to
avoid the failure modes observed in the previous two test
series by eliminating the compression bars and adding deck
slabs. The unstrengthened control specimen, T3-12-Con-
trol, ultimately failed at the top flange near the reaction
point. The failure was not because the diagonal cracking
penetrated into the top flange as seen in the previous series
of tests. Rather, it was a buildup of stress concentrations
due to a combination of diagonal compression stresses,
flexural compression stresses, and contact stresses induced
by the reaction frame.
For the strengthened specimens without mechanical an-
chorage systems (T3-12-S90-NA and T3-12-S90-NA-PC),
failure occurred because of crushing of the web concrete
T3-12-S90-DMA
T3-18-S90-SDMA
(Fig. 7). Because the only difference between the two
specimens (T3-12-S90-NA and T3-12-S90-NA-PC) was
the presence of preexisting cracks, it can be concluded that
the preexisting cracks did not affect the failure mode. The
web crushing failure was believed to occur as a result of
spalling of the concrete cover rather than debonding at the
CFRP-concrete interface. Spalling of the cover resulted
in a significant reduction in the width of the concrete
compressive struts within the thin web of the prestressed
concrete girders, leaving them vulnerable to web crushing.
The strengthened specimen with the mechanical anchor-
age system T3-12-S90-DMA failed in the same manner as
observed in the control specimen T3-12-Control. Failure
was due to the stress concentration in the top flange near
the reaction point. A slight increase in shear strength was
observed in T3-12-S90-NA, but not in the other cases.
Based on the results of the third series of tests, it was
concluded that failure due to stress concentrations could
be avoided if the deck slab size was increased and better
confined with reinforcement. The fourth series of tests
examined specimens T3-18-Control, T3-18-S90-NA,
T3-18-S90-HS, and T3-18-S90-SDMA. As an additional
measure, to prevent the failure mode that occurred in the
third series of tests, additional external strengthening in the
form of hollow steel sections and no. 11 (36M) reinforc-
ing bars was added near the reaction frame within the test
PCI Journal | S u m m e r 2012 71
 Figure 9. Crack propagation along line of mechanical anchorage for specimen T3-18-S90-SDMA.
FRP sheet
Le
P
Debonded concrete
Concrete
Figure 10. Shear test for effective bond length. Note: FRP = fiber-reinforced
polymer; Le = effective bond length; P = applied load.
region. The failure of this series of tests was characterized
by diagonal shear-tension failure in the web preceded by
some level of debonding when CFRP shear reinforcement
was present. The mechanical anchorage system used for
specimen T3-18-S90-SDMA helped to limit such debond-
ing. However, the mechanical anchors created a plane of
weakness along which the critical cracks were observed
to propagate (Fig. 9). This might explain the lower shear
strength of the strengthened specimen, T3-18-S90-SDMA,
compared with the control specimen, T3-18-Control.
72 S um me r 2 0 1 2 | PCI Journal
Overall, there was no increase in shear strength due to FRP
strengthening. This is attributed mainly to the complex
failure modes of prestressed concrete girders.
Web crushing failure
To understand web crushing failure, it is first necessary
to understand the behavior of the bond between FRP
sheets and concrete. Numerous research studies have been
conducted on this topic. Most research has focused on a
simple shear test (Fig. 10) in which the maximum inter-
facial shear stress max and effective bond length Le are
experimentally determined. Debonding occurs first within
the effective bond length Le, resulting from debonding of a
thin layer of concrete rather than debonding at the interface
between the FRP and concrete. Equation (1) is the com-
mon form for expressing the maximum normal force at
debonding Pu that can be carried by the FRP sheet.
Pu = b Le (1)
max f
where
bf = width of FRP strips
Figure 11. Shear crack and debonding models. Note: FRP = fiber-reinforced polymer; Le = effective bond length; P = applied load; Se = crack spacing.

The knowledge accumulated from simple shear tests is not
directly applicable to beam shear problems and thus must
be modified. Figure 11 presents three different models
for debonding based on crack spacing. Unlike the simple
shear test used in previous research studies, a large piece of
concrete debonded in the prestressed concrete girder tests
(Fig. 12). This was due to the damage from the compres-
sion forces and interlocking of aggregate near the cracks.
Thus the debonding lines (Fig. 11) can be assumed to
be parabolic. It can also be assumed that spalling of the
cover occurred within the effective bond length and that
the debonding strength depends on the concrete tensile
strength because the debonding did not occur at the inter-
face of the FRP and concrete.

PCI Journal | S u m m e r 2012 73

 T3-12-S90-NA
Figure 12. Close-up of debonded fiber-reinforced polymer sheet with spalled concrete cover attached.
With the assumptions for the suggested models, when the
crack spacing is greater than 2Le (Fig. 11), which was the
case for the MoDOT Type 4 girders, the area of debonded
concrete cover is small compared with the total area of the
compression strut. Therefore, web crushing failure did not
occur. In this case, Eq. (1) is still applicable and max can be
replaced with the direct cracking strength of concrete
(4 fcl for normalweight concrete,8 where fcl is the speci-
fied compressive strength of concrete in psi).
The MoDOT Type 3 girders with stirrups spaced at 12 in.
(300 mm) exhibited tighter crack spacing. The bond
behavior of FRP and concrete can be treated as the cases
in which crack spacing is less than Le or less than 2Le
(Fig. 11). In these cases, the loss of concrete cross sec-
tion due to FRP debonding in the concrete strut cannot be
ignored, and thus web crushing is likely to occur. Where
crack spacing is less than 2Le, Eq. (2) can determine the
maximum debonding force to account for the overlapped
effective bond length.
Pu = b (Se – Le) = 4
max f fcl bf (Se – Le) (2)
where
Se = crack spacing
Where the crack spacing is smaller than the effective bond
length Le, Eq. (3) can determine the maximum debonding
force using the crack spacing instead of the bond length.
Pu = max fb Se = 4 fcl bf Se (3)
Based on the results, it can be concluded that the debond-
ing and spalling of concrete will occur at a lower level of
stress in FRP, and web crushing will be the failure mode
when stirrups are spaced such that crack spacing is less
than the effective bond length Le.
74 S um me r 2 0 1 2 | PCI Journal
T3-12-S90-NA-PC
The MoDOT Type 3 girders with stirrups spaced at 18 in.
(460 mm) showed larger crack spacing compared with
the MoDOT Type 3 girders with stirrups spaced at 12 in.
(300 mm). This may explain why web crushing failure did
not occur.
Behavior of anchorage systems
Four different mechanical anchorage systems were tested
in this study (Fig. 2):
• the CMA system
• the DMA system
• the SDMA system
• the HS system
The CMA system performed poorly, showing premature
anchorage failure (Fig. 13). This is mainly due to buck-
ling of the continuous FRP plate and short embedment
length of concrete anchor bolts. The DMA system did not
prevent FRP debonding, though it did delay the debond-
ing of FRP and performed better than the CMA system
(Fig. 14). The HS system delayed FRP debonding but was
not as effective as the DMA system. The SDMA system
performed best among the four anchorage systems. The
SDMA system prevented FRP debonding and led to FRP
rupture. However, in one specimen it created a weak plane
along the anchor bolts. The diagonal cracks eventually
propagated along the weak plane. As a result, premature
failure occurred along the weak plane without any increase
in shear strength (Fig. 9).
Shear contribution of CFRP sheets
Although an increase in the shear capacity was not always
Figure 13. Mechanical anchorage failure of specimen T4-18-S90-CMA.
T4-18-S90-DMA
Figure 14. Mechanical anchorage failure of specimens T4-18-S90-DMA and T4-18-S45-DMA.
realized among the CFRP-strengthened specimens, CFRP
did contribute to the shear resistance of the girders as mea-
sured by strain gauges applied to the CFRP strips. To better
understand the shear resistance mechanisms and to better
quantify the CFRP contribution to shear capacity, it is
necessary to decouple the individual contributions to shear
resistance. In this case, the primary components contribut-
ing to shear resistance are the concrete Vc, steel stirrups
Vs, vertical component of prestressing force Vp (which is
zero in the specimens of this study), and externally bonded
CFRP strips Vf .
A shear component analysis was conducted on the experi-
mental data to identify the contribution of each component
throughout the loading history of the test girders.
Figures 15 and 16 show the results. The analysis was
based on the understanding that the internal shear re-
T4-18-S45-DMA
sistance must equal the applied shear force. The three
individual components (Vc, Vs, and Vf) of the internal shear
resistance were then evaluated from crack-based free body
diagrams of a portion of the test girders along the critical
shear cracks. Strain gauge measurements were used to
quantify the shear resistance provided by the steel stirrups
Vs and CFRP strips Vf within the test regions. Only those
strain gauge measurements closest to the critical shear
crack were used for this analysis. To satisfy equilibrium,
the shear resistance provided by concrete Vc was consid-
ered as the difference between the applied shear force and
the shear resistance contributions from the stirrups Vs and
FRP Vf .
The contributions from the stirrups and CFRP strips were
minimal before cracking initiated in the web (Fig. 15 and
16). The applied shear force was thus carried primarily
PCI Journal | S u m m e r 2012 75
 225
275 200
250

Shear contribution, kip

175
225
Shear contribution, kip

200 150
175 Vc 125
150 Vc
100
125
100 75
75 50
50 Vs
25 Vs
25
0 0
0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225
Applied shear, kip Applied shear, kip

T4-12-Control T4-18-Control

225 250

200 225
Shear contribution, kip

Shear contribution, kip

175 200
175
Vc
150 Vc
150
125
125
100
100
Vf
75 Vf 75
50 50
25 Vs 25 Vs
0 0
0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250
Applied shear, kip Applied shear, kip

T4-18-S90-NA T4-18-S90-CMA

275 275
250 250
225 225
Shear contribution, kip

Shear contribution, kip

200 200 Vc
175 175
Vc
150 150
125 125
100 100
Vf
75 75
50
Vf 50
25 25
Vs Vs
0 0
0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 275 0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 275
Applied shear, kip Applied shear, kip

T4-18-S90-DMA T4-18-S45-DMA

275 275
250 250
225 225
Shear contribution, kip

Shear contribution, kip

200 200
Vc
175 175
Vc
150 150
125 125
100 100 Vf
75 75
50 Vs 50
Vs
25 25
0 0
0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 275 0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 275
Applied shear, kip Applied shear, kip

T4-12-Control-Deck T4-12-S90-SDMA

Figure 15. Shear component diagrams for Missouri Department of Transportation Type 4 specimens. Note: Vc = contribution of the concrete to the shear resistance of
a member; Vf = contribution of the externally bonded FRP to the shear resistance of a member; Vs = contribution of the transverse steel reinforcement (stirrups) to the
shear resistance of a member. 1 kip = 4.448 kN.

76 S um me r 2 0 1 2 | PCI Journal
 275 300
250 275
225 250

Shear contribution, kip

Shear contribution, kip

225
200
200 Vc
175 Vc
175
150
150
125
125
100 100 Vf
75 75
50 Vs 50 Vs
25 25
0 0
0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 275 0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 275 300
Applied shear, kip Applied shear, kip

T3-12-Control T3-12-S90-NA

275 275
250 250
225 225
Shear contribution, kip

Shear contribution, kip

200 Vc 200
175 175 Vc
150 150
125 Vf 125
100 100
75 75 Vf
50 50
Vs
25 25 Vs
0 0
0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 275 0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 275
Applied shear, kip Applied shear, kip
T3-12-S90-NA-PC T3-12-S90-DMA

275 250
250 225
225
Shear contribution, kip

200
Shear contribution, kip

200 175
175 Vc
150
150 Vc
125
125
100 Vf
100
75
75
50 50
Vs
25 Vs 25
0 0
0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 275 0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250
Applied shear, kip Applied shear, kip

T3-18-Control T3-18-S90-NA

250 250
225 225
Vc
Shear contribution, kip

200
Shear contribution, kip

200
175 175
150 Vc 150
125
Vf
125
100 100
75 75
Vf
50 50
Vs
25 Vs 25
0 0
0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250
Applied shear , kip Applied shear, kip
T3-18-S90-HS T3-18-S90-SDMA

Figure 16. Shear component diagrams for Missouri Department of Transportation Type 3 specimens. Note: 1 kip = 4.448 kN.

PCI Journal | S u m m e r 2012 77

 by the concrete contribution Vc. Upon onset of diagonal
cracking, a portion of the applied shear force was trans-
ferred to the steel stirrups and CFRP strips as shown by
the sudden jump in the shear contribution responses. The
stirrups and CFRP strips continued to take load, as shown
by the gradual increase in shear contribution response, until
yielding of the stirrups or debonding of the CFRP strips oc-
curred. Yielding of all stirrups along the critical shear crack
is indicated as a plateau in the shear contribution response
for the stirrups Vs. Sudden or gradual drops in the CFRP
contribution responses signify debonding of the CFRP
strips. The severity of the drops in the shear contribution
of CFRP strips reflected the magnitude of debonding that
occurred during load history.
Unlike the specimens without preexisting cracks, the speci-
men with preexisting cracks (T3-12-S90-NA-PC) showed
a gradual increase in the shear resistance contributions of
the stirrups Vs and FRP Vf from the early stage of loading
(Fig. 16).
Comparison of analytical
predictions and experimental
results
The shear resistance mechanism for reinforced concrete
and prestressed concrete members is complex; however,
the most commonly adopted analytical approach is a su-
perposition method that considers the shear resistance as a
summation of the concrete Vc and transverse steel Vs contri-
butions. The contribution of these two components is docu-
mented in the literature,6,7 and procedures for determining
their magnitude have been adopted by most current design
guidelines. In accordance with this design philosophy, the
contribution of externally bonded FRP shear reinforcement
Vf is accounted for by the addition of a third term. Equa-
tion (4) calculates the total shear resistance Vn.
Vn = Vc + Vs + Vf (4)
A total of 17 analytical models for predicting the shear
contribution of externally bonded FRP were found in the
literature.9–26 An overview of these models is beyond the
scope of this paper. The FRP contribution is often as-
sumed analogous to that of the transverse steel reinforce-
ment based on strut-and-tie methodology. Similar to the
steel stirrups, the FRP laminates are considered ties that
resist the tensile stresses along cracks between the con-
crete struts. However, the effectiveness of FRP in resisting
these tensile stresses is more complex than that of the steel
stirrups because it depends on the complex bond behavior
between concrete and FRP laminates, the material behavior
of the FRP laminate (that is, linear elastic up to failure as
opposed to the elastoplastic nature of steel), FRP laminate
geometry (that is, width and effective bond length), failure
mode, and anchorage. As a result of such complexities,
there is disagreement among current models for predicting
78 S um me r 2 0 1 2 | PCI Journal
the FRP contribution to shear resistance. The 17 models
found in the literature9–26 can be categorized into four gen-
eral groups based on similarities in their approach:
• empirically determined value of stress/strain associ-
ated with failure of the member for which the FRP
contribution is determined
• effective FRP strain concept that is generally derived
from the regression of experimental data
• accounting for a nonuniform strain distribution in the
externally bonded FRP
• theoretical approaches that are mechanics based and
do not rely on empirical regression or calibration
techniques
Table 3 compares the FRP shear contributions predicted
by these 17 models9–26 with the experimentally measured
FRP shear contributions determined from a shear com-
ponent analysis. None of the models was consistently
accurate at predicting the FRP contributions for the experi-
mental prestressed concrete girders. Reasonable average
strength ratios Vf,exp/Vf,pred were obtained for the models of
Khalifa and Nanni,15 Triantafillou and Antonopoulos,16 and
Hsu et al.20 However, the standard deviations and coef-
ficients of variation for these models are high, indicating
poor correlation with the test results and therefore unreli-
able precision. The models by Khalifa and Nanni15 and
Triantafillou and Antonopoulos16 have been used as the
basis for current design guidelines.27,28
Conclusion
In this study, the shear behavior and failure modes of full-
scale prestressed concrete I-girders strengthened in shear
with externally bonded CFRP were investigated. The effec-
tiveness of externally bonded FRP for shear strengthening
was found to be significantly affected by the cross-sectional
shape of the girders. The results show that the failure modes
vary depending on the cross-sectional shape and shear
reinforcement schemes. Debonding of the FRP is typically
accompanied by peeling of the concrete cover that reduces
the thickness of the web and can result in a web crushing
failure mode for these thin webbed girders. In such cases,
FRP shear strengthening can result in a reduction of the
ultimate shear strength of a prestressed concrete girder.
The use of an FRP anchorage system was found to delay
debonding of the FRP, resulting in greater shear resistance.
Horizontal strips of FRP used as mechanical anchor-
age provided little additional shear capacity. Continuous
CFRP plates with anchorage bolts were also ineffective in
anchoring the CFRP sheets due to buckling of the plates
and insufficient embedment length to prevent pullout of
the anchor bolts. The most effective FRP anchorage system
Table 3. Performance of analytical models in terms of Vf,exp   /Vf,pred

Coefficient of variation
Standard deviation
T3-12-S90-NA-PC
T4-12-S90-SDMA

T3-18-S90-SDMA
T4-18-S90-DMA

T4-18-S45-DMA

T3-12-S90-DMA
T4-18-S90-CMA

Average (mean)
Analytical models for Vf

T4-18-S90-NA

T3-12-S90-NA

T3-18-S90-NA

T3-18-S90-HS
Al-Sulaimani et al. 1994 0.40 0.39 0.20 n/a 0.30 0.23 0.24 0.19 0.11 0.19 0.68 0.29 0.16 0.53

Chajes et al. 1995 1.26 1.23 0.63 1.10 0.95 0.63 0.64 0.51 0.30 0.51 1.83 0.87 0.43 0.49

Triantafillou 1998 1.11 1.09 0.55 0.79 0.84 0.56 0.56 0.45 0.27 0.45 1.62 0.75 0.37 0.50

Khalifa et al. 1998 1.01 1.30 0.66 1.07 1.00 0.64 0.64 0.51 0.31 0.52 1.85 0.86 0.42 0.49

Malek and Saadatmanesh 1998 17.80 13.29 3.84 2.99 11.23 1.65 3.88 2.53 0.83 1.22 3.35 5.69 5.43 0.95

Hutchinson and Rizkalla 1999 0.82 1.16 0.56 1.20 1.10 0.50 0.48 0.46 0.16 0.49 2.33 0.84 0.57 0.68

Khalifa and Nanni 2000 1.25 1.62 0.82 1.44 1.24 0.78 0.79 0.63 0.38 0.64 2.30 1.08 0.53 0.49

Triantafillou and Antonopoulos

1.40 1.37 0.70 1.22 1.05 0.70 0.71 0.56 0.34 0.57 2.04 0.97 0.48 0.49
2000

Deniaud and Cheng 2001 2.60 3.37 1.72 1.77 3.89 2.79 2.83 2.26 0.89 1.49 5.33 2.63 1.19 0.45

Chaallal et al. 2002 6.68 8.65 4.40 9.90 7.74 4.86 4.93 3.94 2.04 3.42 12.27 6.26 2.95 0.47

Pellegrino and Modena 2002 3.99 5.13 2.60 4.56 3.89 2.72 2.65 1.99 1.22 2.04 7.20 3.45 1.64 0.48

Hsu et al. 2003 1.26 1.62 0.82 1.44 1.23 0.84 0.83 0.62 0.38 0.64 2.25 1.08 0.52 0.48

Chen and Teng 2003 2.11 2.85 1.45 2.51 2.18 1.41 1.41 1.10 0.67 1.12 3.99 1.89 0.92 0.48

Carolin and Taljsten 2005 2.46 4.12 1.97 5.24 4.29 1.64 1.56 1.61 0.49 1.73 9.49 3.15 2.43 0.77

Cao et al. 2005 0.85 1.12 0.57 1.40 0.86 0.51 0.51 0.40 0.24 0.40 1.44 0.75 0.39 0.52

Monti and Liotta 2005 0.63 0.74 0.36 0.54 0.70 0.35 0.33 0.30 0.11 0.32 1.52 0.53 0.36 0.68

Sim et al. 2005 4.79 6.03 3.06 7.40 5.64 3.88 3.79 2.87 1.43 2.38 8.44 4.52 2.07 0.46

Note: Vf = contribution of the externally bonded fiber-reinforced polymer to the shear resistance of a member; Vf,exp = measured fiber-reinforced
polymer contribution to shear resistance of a member as determined from a shear component analysis; Vf,pred = analytical prediction of the externally
bonded fiber-reinforced polymer contribution to the shear resistance of a member.

was the discontinuous CFRP plates attached with epoxy contribution or the total shear resistance of the prestressed
and anchored in place with bolts running through the web. concrete girders in this study because of the complexity of
The effectiveness of this method was further improved the shear behavior and failure modes. Further research into
by the use of what has been termed a sandwich applica- the influences of the cross-sectional geometry (particu-
tion that helps to prevent slippage of the FRP sheet from larly in thin webbed members) and the interactions among
beneath the anchorage plate. concrete, steel stirrups, and FRP strengthening will lead to
scientifically more rational and well-founded models for
In the absence of an increase in the ultimate shear capacity defining the shear resistance of FRP shear-strengthened
of a girder that is strengthened with FRP, a shear com- girders.
ponent analysis can be used to understand the FRP shear
contribution to the total shear resistance. Such analysis em-
phasizes the interdependence that exists between the differ-
ent components of shear resistance (that is, concrete, steel
stirrups, and FRP). Existing analytical models proposed in
the literature were not able to accurately predict the FRP

PCI Journal | S u m m e r 2012 79

 Acknowledgments
The authors wish to express their gratitude and sincere ap-
preciation to the National Cooperative Highway Research
Program as well as the Intelligent Systems Center and
National University Transportation Center at the Missouri
University of Science and Technology in Rolla for financ-
ing this research work. The authors would also like to rec-
ognize Egyptian Concrete Inc. for its support in construct-
ing the full-scale test specimens.
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Notation
a/d = shear span–to–depth ratio
bf = width of FRP strips
fcl = specified compressive strength of concrete
fcgl = concrete strength of girders measured at the time of
girder testing
fcsl = concrete strength of deck slab measured at the time
of girder testing
Le = effective bond length
P = applied load
Pu = debonding strength
Se = crack spacing
Vc = concrete contribution to shear resistance of a mem-
ber
Vcr = measured shear force at initiation of cracking
Vf = FRP contribution to shear resistance of a member
Vf,exp = measured FRP contribution to shear resistance of
a member as determined from a shear component
analysis
Vf,pred = analytical prediction of the externally bonded FRP
contribution to shear resistance of a member
Vn = total shear resistance of a member defined as the
sum of the concrete Vc, transverse steel reinforce-
ment Vs, and externally bonded FRP Vf contribu-
tions
Vp = vertical component of prestressing force
Vs = transverse steel reinforcement (stirrups) contribu-
tion to shear resistance of a member
Vu = measured maximum shear force at failure
f = shear reinforcement ratio for externally bonded
CFRP reinforcement
v = shear reinforcement ratio for steel stirrups
max = maximum interfacial shear stress
PCI Journal | S u m m e r 2012 81
 About the authors
Michael Murphy, PhD, is a
structural engineer at CTLGroup
in Washington, D.C. He is a
member of ACI. He received his
BS, MS, and PhD in civil engi-
neering from the Missouri
University of Science and
Technology. His research interests include perfor-
mance of externally bonded fiber-reinforced polymers
for strengthening reinforced and prestressed concrete
members.
Abdeldjelil Belarbi, PhD, PE, is
the chair and Hugh Roy and Lillie
Cranz Cullen Distinguished
Professor in the Department of
Civil and Environmental Engi-
neering at the University of
Houston in Houston, Tex. He is a
Fellow of ACI and ASCE and an active member of
several ACI and ASCE technical and educational
committees. His research interests include constitutive
modeling of reinforced and prestressed concrete
structures, the use of advanced materials in new
construction and strengthening of civil infrastructures,
structural health monitoring, smart sensors, and
structural performance and durability in natural
disasters.
Sang-Wook Bae, PhD, is an
assistant professor in the Depart-
ment of Civil and Environmental
Engineering at Texas Tech
University in Lubbock, Tex. He is
a member of ACI. His research
interests include analytical and
experimental investigation of concrete structures,
advanced repair methods for corrosion-damaged
reinforced concrete structures, performance evaluation
of fiber-reinforced polymer composites for use as
internal reinforcement or external repair, and strength-
ening of concrete structures.
82 S um me r 2 0 1 2 | PCI Journal
Abstract
This paper investigates the behavior of full-scale
prestressed concrete girders strengthened in shear with
externally bonded carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer
(CFRP) sheets. The study is aimed at identifying the
failure modes and effects on ultimate bearing capacity
associated with the application of CFRP laminates as
externally bonded shear reinforcement for prestressed
concrete I-girders. A total of 16 full-scale prestressed
concrete girder tests are reported. Test parameters
include the cross-sectional shape, effects of preexist-
ing damage, CFRP strengthening scheme, different
anchorage systems, and transverse steel reinforcement
ratio. The test results show that the failure modes are
complex and can vary considerably with respect to the
test parameters. The test results also show that the ap-
plication of externally bonded CFRP reinforcement for
shear may not yield an increase in the load-carrying
capacity of a girder compared with a reference mem-
ber that is not strengthened with CFRP.
Keywords
Anchorage, carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer, CFRP,
composite sheets, failure, shear.
Review policy
This paper was reviewed in accordance with the
Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute’s peer-review
process.
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