Evaluation of shear-deficient lightweight RC beams retrofitted with adhesively bonded CFRP sheets

A series of twenty-two shear-deficient lightweight reinforced concrete (LWRC) beams were casted and tested under four-point flexural loading to investigate the structural behaviour of shear-deficient LWRC beams retrofitted with adhesively bonded carbon fibre reinforced polymers (CFRP) sheets. The variables investigated in the study include as follows: shear-span to effective-depth ratio and different retrofitting schemes. The overall response of the LWRC beams, the onset of cracking, crack development and ductility were investigated. The experimental results indicated that the contribution of the CFRP to restore the shear capacity of the shear-deficient LWRC beams was significant. The ultimate shear strength of the retrofitted LWRC beams increased significantly (23–96%) depending on the technique used. The use of the CFRP transformed the mode of failure of some LWRC beams into a more ductile flexural one. The most effective technique for enhancing the shear capacity of the LWRC beams was the CFRP jacketin...