Strengthening constructed reinforced concrete (RC) members with carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) is proven technology that improves load-carrying capacity and serviceability.1 CFRP sheets are bonded to the tensile soffit of a member with an adhesive, which is called exter nally bonded CFRP. This approach is dominantly imple mented in practice, while premature CFRP-debonding needs additional attention . CFRP rods or strips can alternatively be inserted into a precut groove along the tensile soffit of a RC member such as beams or slabs, which is called the near-surface-m ounted (NSM) CFRP strengthening method. An epoxy adhesive is used in most cases to permanently position the inserted CFRP. Benefits of NSM CFRP for strengthening concrete members include an insignificant increase in dead load, enhanced bond behavior, durable performance, efficient use of CFRP strain, and the minimal alteration of existing structural geometry.2•3 Unlike conven tional externally bonded CFRP strengthening, NSM CFRP may not need supplementary anchorage to address prema ture debonding failure . Although considerable research has been reported as to the flexure ofNSM CFRP-strengthened
tally different aspect of NSM CFRP strips in comparison to externally bonded CFRP sheets, existing information on the latter may not be applicable to the former. Furthermore, the aforementioned studies as to the creep of CFRP sheets are about the time-dependent deformation of the bonded sheets without discussing the residual capacity and failure characteristics of CFRP-strengthened members. Existing design documents for CFRP-strengthening such as fib Task Group 9.312 and ACI 440.2R-0813 highlight the potential degradation of strengthening materials themselves when subjected to long-term load, whereas the long-term perfor mance of strengthened structures is not explicitly elabo rated (for example, integrity between the strengthening material and the strengthened elements). To effectively use NSM CFRP technology, it is imperative to evaluate the long-term behavior of strengthened beams because there are inherent differences between short-term and long-term responses. The long-term behavior of RC beams strength ened with NSM CFRP composites, however, has not been examined previously and correspon ding significance has not yet been adequately elucidated. This paper aims at under standing the effect of sustained load on the behavior ofNSM CFRP-strengthened RC beams. Of interest are their failure characteristics and load-carrying capacity dependent on various levels of sustained intensity. Experimental results are reported and design considerations are discussed.
RESEARC H SIGNIFICANCE
The ACI 440.2R-08 document recognizes the importance of long-term issues associated with CFRP-strengthened members and provides reduction factors. 13 It is, however,
members ,4 further development is still needed. Among many
technical issues, the response of NSM CFRP when exposed to sustained load is of great significance because the long term deteriorat ion of CFRP-concrete interface can influence the efficacy of strengthening.