Fast FRP strengthening technique for steel structures

A fast FRP strengthening technique for steel structures that employs FRP prepregs (including two types of CFRP prepregs with different elastic moduli and a GFRP prepreg) and film adhesive is presented. Depending on the curing temperature, with this technique, the entire strengthening process may take only a few hours. The tensile test results of double strap joints composed of FRP prepregs, film adhesive and two steel plates are presented first. The results indicate that a strong bond can be achieved between FRP and steel. The performance of steel beams strengthened using the technique is also examined for confirmation of the effectiveness of this technique. Furthermore, the effect of vibratory loads, intended for simulating traffic loads on bridges during the curing period of FRP prepregs and film adhesive, on the behavior of strengthened steel beams is also studied. The presented test results clearly show that this new technique is an attractive and effective method for the rapid strengthening of steel structures.