ABSTRACT
Reinforced concrete structures can be strengthened by externally bonding steel plates to the concrete surface in tension creating a composite structural element. This paper compares the increase in the load bearing resistance of un-strengthened reinforced concrete slabs (control slabs) to composite slabs strengthened by means of externally epoxy bonded steel plates. Test results of full scale experimental control and composite slabs are presented which are loaded by either a point load at mid span or point loads at third spans mimicking a uniformly distributed load. The following variations in the composite slaps are considered: (1) number of bonded steel plates (2) width of the bonded steel plates (3) thickness of the bonded steel plates.
