Meso-scale finite element model for FRP sheets/plates bonded to concrete

External bonding of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) plates or sheets has recently emerged as a popular method for the strengthening of reinforced concrete (RC) structures. The behavior of such FRP-strengthened RC structures is often controlled by the behavior of the interface between FRP and concrete, and this interfacial behavior is commonly studied through a pull test in which an FRP sheet or plate is bonded to a concrete prism and is subject to tension. In this paper, a meso-scale finite element (FE) model implemented with the MSC.MARC program is presented for the simulation of interfacial debonding failures in a pull test. In this model, very small nearly square elements (0.25-0.5 mm in size) are used with the fixed angle crack model (FACM) to capture the development and propagation of cracks in the concrete layer adjacent to the adhesive layer. The effect of element size is taken into account in modeling both the tensile and shear behavior of cracked concrete. Comparisons between the predictions of this model and test results are presented to demonstrate the capability and accuracy of this FE model. The debonding mechanism is also examined using results obtained with the FE model. Finally, a method for the determination of the local bond-slip curve of the FRP-to-concrete interface from the FE results is described.