Shear capacity analysis of fiber reinforced polymer concrete beams

In recent years, fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) reinforcement has garnered significant interest in the construction industry, particularly in concrete beam construction. Determining the shear capacity of FRP-reinforced beams is, however, an intricate task. The shear capacity of FRP-reinforced concrete beams can be estimated using design equations from various international standards of practice. However, these equations are often adaptations of those used for conventional steel reinforcement, resulting in unreliable estimates. This research compares design equation predictions with experimental data, utilizing test results from 48 carbon FRP-reinforced and 73 glass FRP-reinforced concrete beams. The results reveal significant differences in the accuracy and reliability of shear capacity predictions using American (ACI), Canadian (CSA), and Japanese (JSCE) design standards for both types of concrete beams. The ACI standard has high underestimation and inconsistent predictions for carbon and glass FRP beams, making it unsuitable for shear design. The CSA standard provides consistent predictions with moderate underestimation for both types of FRP beams, but it shows overestimation in certain cases. The JSCE standard consistently shows moderate underestimation without any instances of overestimation, making it a reliable tool for engineers and practitioners to estimate the shear capacity of both types of FRP-reinforced beams.