A FEM-based model to study the behavior of SRG-strengthened R/C beams

In this paper, a new time-effective modeling approach is proposed for predicting the response of shear-deficient reinforced concrete (R/C) beams strengthened with steel-reinforced grout (SRG) jackets. Solid finite elements are utilized for concrete using a fracture-plasticity constitutive law, while both high-strength steel cords and conventional reinforcement are modeled using embedded truss elements with multilinear stress–strain laws. The efficiency of the proposed method is assessed by comparing numerical against experimental data of nine shear-deficient beams strengthened with various SRG jacketing configurations. The comparison demonstrated close correlation both in terms of failure mode and force–displacement curves. The numerical analysis predicted the observed crack pattern and failure modes accurately, whereas deviation in terms of load and deflection was, on average, less than 1% and 10%, respectively.