An innovative, uniaxial ductile fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP)
fabric has been researched, developed, and manufactured (in the
ductility of the developed fabric has been investigated by strengthening and testing
eight concrete beams under flexural load. Similar beams strengthened
with currently available uniaxial carbon fiber sheets, fabrics, and
plates were also tested to compare their behavior with those
strengthened with the developed fabric. The fabric has been
designed so that it has the potential to yield simultaneously with
the steel reinforcement of strengthened beams and hence, a ductile
plateau similar to that for the nonstrengthened beams can be
achieved. The beams strengthened with the developed fabric
exhibited higher yield loads and achieved higher ductility indexes
than those strengthened with the currently available carbon fiber
strengthening systems. The developed fabric shows a more effective
contribution to the strengthening mechanism.