Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Applications in Concrete Strengthening
Summary
Fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs) are composite materials combining high-strength synthetic fibres with polymer matrices to enhance the structural performance of existing and new concrete elements. Their advantages—light weight, high tensile capacity, corrosion resistance and ease of installation—have driven widespread use in flexural, shear and confinement strengthening schemes. Techniques include externally bonded laminates, near-surface-mounted bars and U-jacketing wraps, each tailored to address specific failure modes in beams, columns and slabs. Global research has focused on improving bond durability, developing robust anchorage systems and integrating numerical modelling for predictive design. Practical applications span seismic retrofits, bridge deck upgrades and heritage building preservation. Ongoing challenges concern long-term performance under environmental exposure, standardisation of design codes and performance verification under extreme temperatures and cyclic loading. Recent advances in experimental protocols and constitutive models have refined the reliability and efficiency of FRP interventions, supporting safer and more sustainable infrastructure renewal.
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Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Applications in Concrete Strengthening publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in fiber-reinforced polymer applications in concrete strengthening across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP): A composite material composed of high-strength fibres (e.g. carbon or glass) embedded in a polymer resin, used to strengthen concrete elements.
Externally Bonded FRP (EB-FRP): FRP sheets or laminates adhered to the surface of concrete members to enhance flexural or shear capacity.
Near-Surface Mounted (NSM) FRP: A strengthening method where FRP bars or strips are inserted into pre-cut grooves in the concrete cover and bonded with adhesive.
Concrete Damaged Plasticity (CDP) model: A constitutive model used in finite-element analysis to represent cracking, crushing and inelastic behaviour of concrete under load.
References
- Review of Anchorage Systems for Externally Bonded FRP Laminates. International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials (2013).
- U-Jacketing Applications of Fiber-Reinforced Polymers in Reinforced Concrete T-Beams against Shear—Tests and Design. Fibers (2020).
- Mechanical Properties of Fibre Reinforced Polymers under Elevated Temperatures: An Overview. Polymers (2020).
- Numerical Investigation of Load‐Carrying Capacity of GFRP‐Reinforced Rectangular Concrete Members Using CDP Model in ABAQUS. Advances in Civil Engineering (2019).
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