Compressive strength behaviour of low- and medium-strength concrete specimens confined with carbon fibres in defective implementation conditions: an experimental study

This behaviour of low- and medium-strength concrete specimens confined with carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) was analysed in three loading cycles. In some cases, stress levels were achieved that produced intemal microcracks, which allowed residual rigidity and the behaviour of completely microcraked concrete specimens to be studied. The specimens were subsequently tested to compression to the fracture point. Specimens reinforced in accordance with no manufacturing defects (100% CFRP reinforcement) and major manufacturing defects (50% CFRP reinforcement) were assessed for effectiveness and behaviour of the confined elements in less than ideal conditions. Results show that confinement was higher in low-resistance concretes, that the behaviour of reinforced specimens was unaffected by defective implementation conditions and that the reinforced specimens were less rigid than the non-reinforced specimens when tested up to 40% of ultimate fracture strength.