REPAIR AND STRENGTHEINING OF STEEL COMPRESSION MEMBERS USING CFRP MEMBERS FABRICATED BY VARTM TECHNIQUE

Abstract

 The objective in this study is to develop a method of strengthening steel structures using externally bonded CFRP by VaRTM technique. As a fundamental study, the effect of strengthening of steel plates using proposed method under compressive force has been investigated experimentally and analytically. Buckling test has been conducted using steel plates with pinned ends varying the number of carbon fiber (CF) sheets. And the workability of VaRTM was also investigated in multi-layered CF sheets. Moreover, compression test has been conducted in order to improve the load carrying capacity of column members with section loss. As a column members of girder end, the patial models with section loss were fabricated and repaired using externally bonded CF sheets by VaRTM technique.