Experimental study on the cyclic behavior of concrete beam ends reinforced with GFRP bars

FRP-reinforced concrete (FRP-RC) constructions have substantial benefits in maritime engineering, including outstanding corrosion and fatigue resistance, as well as the capacity to endure intricate loading situations, including seismic pressures and wave action. This study primarily examines the cyclic behavior of FRP-RC beam end specimens, emphasizing the impact of concrete strength grade and longitudinal reinforcement ratio. Quasi-static loading tests were performed on six specimens of Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (GFRP)-RC beam end. The experimental results show that the ultimate drift ratio of the specimens exceeded 9.0%, while the residual strain prior to attaining the peak load remained under 1.5%, demonstrating exceptional deformation capacity and recovery ability. By comparing the performance degradation curves and the equivalent viscous damping coefficients during the tests, this study demonstrates that FRP-RC beam ends contribute to enhancing structural safety during earthquakes and provide excellent post-earthquake repairability. Finally, based on experimental data and relevant literature, flexural capacity formulas for FRP-RC beams under different failure modes were derived using the balanced reinforcement ratio ρ fb , in which both the compressed concrete and the tensioned FRP reinforcement theoretically reach failure states simultaneously. flexural capacity formulas for FRP-RC beams under different failure modes were derived, with a recommended transition zone for the reinforcement ratio range of ρ fb < ρ f ≤ 1.44 ρ fb .