Composite girder partially reinforced with carbon fiber reinforced polymer

Abstract

The composite girder partially reinforced with carbon fiber reinforced polymer is a composite steel-concrete beam partially reinforced with a sheet of carbon fiber reinforced polymer bonded to a concrete slab secured to a flange of the steel beam by shear studs, the sheet of CFRP extending across the length and width of the negative moment region of the beam. The negative moment region may be centered about a point of interior support of the composite steel-concrete beam. The carbon fiber reinforced polymer may have a thickness of about 0.25 mm.

1 . A composite girder partially reinforced with carbon fiber reinforced polymer, comprising:
 a steel beam having elongated upper and lower flanges and a web connecting the flanges;   a concrete slab having opposed upper and lower surfaces, the lower surface thereof being secured to the upper end of the steel beam by shear studs to form a composite steel-concrete (CSC) beam, the CSC beam having a negative moment region; and   a sheet of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) bonded to the upper surface of the concrete slab, the CFRP sheet extending across the entire negative moment region of the composite steel-concrete beam to cover an inflection point thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The composite girder as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the negative moment region is centered about a point of interior support of the composite concrete-steel beam. 
     
     
         3 . The composite girder as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the sheet of carbon fiber reinforced polymer has a thickness of about 0.25 mm. 
     
     
         4 . The composite girder according to  claim 1 , wherein the polymer comprises epoxy. 
     
     
         5 . The composite girder according to  claim 1 , wherein the CFRP sheet is bonded to the concrete slab by a 2-part epoxy impregnation resin, 
     
     
         6 . The composite girder as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said composite steel-concrete beam has a length of approximately 9.6 m and said sheet of carbon fiber reinforced polymer has a length of approximately 2.36 m, such that the sheet of carbon fiber reinforced polymer extends approximately 1.18 m along either side of a fulcrum point of a cross-beam.