NUMERICAL INVESTIGATION OF RETROFITTING WAFFLE SLABS WITH CARBON FIBRE REINFORCED POLYMER PLATES

Abstract

As a result of shopping centres closing and being converted into either accommodation or factories, engineers have been needing to come up with new and innovative solutions to help increase the strength and decrease the deflection of already built concrete structures. If the structure's purpose was to change, then the building would need to be redesigned to ensure its structural integrity. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects that retrofitted Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CRFP) plates have on the strength of healthy and corroded waffle slabs. 3D state-of-the-art finite element modeling software will be used to create accurate models that can be used to perform nonlinear analyses. Within these models, factors such as deteriorated concrete and corroded steel will also be modelled to investigate the effects of using CFRP plates as a strengthening approach to deteriorated Reinforced Concrete (RC) structures, and in this case with waffle slabs.