On the effectiveness of shear reinforcement type in <scp>GFRP</scp> ‐reinforced concrete beams: Experimental study

Abstract This study investigated the shear performance of concrete beams with GFRP stirrups vs. traditional steel stirrups. Longitudinal glass fiber‐reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars were used to doubly reinforce the tested beams at both the top and bottom of their cross sections. To accomplish this, several stirrup spacings were provided. Eight beam specimens, measuring 300 × 250 × 2400 mm, were used in an experimental program to test under a two‐point concentrated load with an equal span‐to‐depth ratio until failure. Four beams in Group I have standard mild steel stirrups of 8 mm diameter, while four beams in Group II have GFRP stirrups with the same adopted diameter. The difference between the beams in each group was mainly due to the spacing between the reinforcing stirrups in the constant shear and pure bending spans. The test matrix consists of two beams with shear reinforcement equally distributed at 100 mm and 200 mm in constant shear and pure bending spans, respectively. Stirrups were placed uniformly over the whole effective span of the other six beams. In two beams, stirrups were placed 100 mm apart; in the other two, 75 mm; and in the last two, 50 mm. Test outcomes showed that GFRP stirrups, as opposed to steel stirrups, decreased the ultimate load by around 8%–27% based on stirrup spacing, while reducing the stirrup spacing increased the shear capacity. Also, the presence of compression GFRP bars and GFRP stirrups in the pure bending span led to an increase in the flexural stiffness of the tested beams. Consequently, this increase contributed to a higher ductility index. Accordingly, it is essential to prioritize adequate shear strength above flexural strength when designing GFRP‐reinforced concrete beams, as evidenced by the continuous observation of flexure‐shear cracking as the primary mode of failure in almost all tested beams.