Escórcio, PatríciaFrança, Paulo M.2021-06-112021-06-112016Escórcio, P., & França, P. M. (2016). Experimental study of a rehabilitation solution that uses GFRP bars to replace the steel bars of reinforced concrete beams. Engineering Structures, 128, 166-183. 10.1016/j.engstruct.2016.09.013http://hdl.handle.net/10400.13/3468The corrosion of the steel reinforcement affects drastically the long-term durability of many reinforced concrete (RC) structures in the world, especially the ones near the sea. When this problem is detected at early stages, it is possible and important to repair the structure in order to restore its safety and avoid future hazards and more expensive interventions. The research work described in this paper is inspired on these cases as it proposes a rehabilitation solution to replace the tension steel reinforcement of a RC beam with GFRP bars, which is a material immune to corrosion. The experimental study consisted on six full-scale RC beams subjected to a three-point bending test until failure. The specimens had stirrups without the bottom branch and were casted in two phases to simulate the replacement of the corroded and cracked bottom concrete. Two different GFRP reinforce ment ratios were tested to assess the behaviour of the repaired beam regarding its service and ultimate states in comparison with the original beam with steel reinforcement. The results are presented and dis cussed in terms of flexural capacity, failure modes, deflection, crack pattern, mid-span crack width and reinforcement strains. It was concluded that the presented rehabilitation solution is easy to implement, can be designed according to general FRP design guidelines, and is able to restore the serviceability and ultimate limit states of the original RC beam.engGFRP barsFull-scale testRehabilitation solutionFRP guidelinesUltimate limit stateServiceability limit state.Faculdade de Ciências Exatas e da Engenhariajournal article10.1016/j.engstruct.2016.09.013