Strengthening of Reinforced Concrete Beams using Abaca Fiber-Reinforced Composites
Abstract
This study looks into the structural performance and initial cost-to-strength evaluation of using Abaca Fiber-Reinforced Composites (AFRC) as a sustainable, externally bonded retrofitting material for reinforced concrete (RC) beams. The study aimed to determine the ideal epoxy resin-to-hardener ratio for AFRC laminates, evaluate the flexural performance of AFRC-strengthened RC beams under three-point loading, and compare the economic efficiency of AFRC with a conventional Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) strengthening system. The first phase of the research design involved the selected epoxy ratio mix by fabricating eighteen flat AFRC laminate coupons with three distinct epoxy resin-to-hardener ratios (1:0.25, 1:0.5, and 1:1). In the second phase, three of four RC beams were strengthened with the selected AFRC laminate, while one unstrengthened reference beam. AFRC-strengthened beams achieved an average ultimate load of 258.43 kN, representing a 50.16% increase over the one unstrengthened reference beam (172.10 kN). The AFRC strengthening system cost ₱2,971.64 per beam and achieved a cost-per- gained-strength of 86.96N/Php. The findings demonstrate that externally bonded AFRC laminates fabricated with a 1:0.5 epoxy ratio provide a promising, sustainable, and cost- effective alternative for reinforced concrete beam retrofitting, while providing baseline data to support future sustainable structural engineering applications.
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