Enhancing Sustainability in Construction: Numerical Investigation on Green Concrete Beams Strengthened with Composite Strips

This study seeks to explore the flexural performance of environmentally friendly concrete beams reinforced with composite strips. A nonlinear finite element analysis software, specifically Midas FEA, was employed to simulate the behaviour of two experimental datasets sourced from existing literature. Afterward, a thorough parametric study was performed that emphasized the configuration strips number, and elastic modulus of the strips. Findings indicated that Midas FEA effectively predicts the flexural behaviour of green concrete beams reinforced with composite strips. The incorporation of composite strips was demonstrated to significantly improve the load-deflection characteristics of the beams. Notably, the application of four additional strips resulted in a marked improvement in maximum capacity, yielding a substantial 93% increase. Additionally, the research outcomes demonstrated a clear connection between the elastic modulus of the strips and the load-bearing strength of the green concrete beams. The findings indicated that an enhancement of the elastic modulus from 165 GPa to 640 GPa resulted in a considerable 57% growth in the load-bearing capacity of the green concrete beams.