Strengthening of steel-reinforced concrete structural elements by externally bonded FRP sheets and evaluation of their load carrying capacity to face changed load service conditions

The paper has proposed a limit analysis procedure for a preliminarydesign of RC elements strengthened by externallybonded FRP sheets. The procedure, based on a multi-yield-criteria limit analysisapproach, has led to a reliable prediction of peak loads and failuremodes of the analyzed elements (slabs) by simultaneouslyconsidering the limit state of the constituent materials, soresulting very useful in many applications of engineeringinterest. The attention has been focused on hospital applications inwhich increment of service loads or realization of openingscan weaken some structural elements that have been strengthenedby FRP sheets.