The thesis aims to study the behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) lintels with openings reinforced with glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars. GFRP bars have become widely used in concrete structures due to their advantageous properties like corrosion resistance, lightweight, and high tensile strength.
Specifically, the thesis seeks to investigate the impact of openings within the RC lintels. Thirteen different models of RC lintels with similar dimensions were tested, and they were divided into four different groups based on the location of the openings within the lintels and the type of reinforcement material used (steel or GFRP).
The groups include:
1. A reference group containing models reinforced with both steel and GFRP for testing bending and shear resistance.
2. A group comprising GFRP-RC models with openings in the bending region of the lintels.
3. A similar group to the second one but with openings in the shear region of the lintels.
4. A group consisting of lintels with openings in the shear region and utilizing GFRP reinforcement for bending and steel for shear resistance.
The primary objective of the thesis is to understand how the presence of openings and the type of reinforcement affect the performance of RC lintels, with a specific focus on using GFRP bars as a means of enhancing lintel structures. This study is expected to provide valuable guidance for architects and civil engineers on how to design and construct lintels with openings in reinforced concrete structures using GFRP bars.
