Synergistic Hybrid Strengthening of RC Beams: Integrating Externally Bonded CFRP with Elastomeric Polyurea Coatings

Abstract

This study presents an experimental investigation into a novel hybrid strengthening system for reinforced concrete (RC) beams that combines externally bonded carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets with a spray-applied polyurea coating (Linex XS-350). Seven beams were tested under four-point bending to evaluate the effects of two main parameters, CFRP thickness and single vs. double layers, and polymer coating configurations, i.e., none, thin with 2 mm, thick with 4 mm, and embedded. The coating was intended to act as an elastic confinement layer that mitigates peeling stresses and enhances CFRP concrete bond performance. The results demonstrated significant improvements in strength, ductility, and strain capacity for coated specimens compared with CFRP-only beams. The inclusion of Linex increased the ultimate load by up to 24% in single-layer beams and 20% in double-layer beams, while bottom-fiber strain at failure increased by more than fivefold, indicating enhanced CFRP utilization. The uncoated beams failed prematurely by CFRP peeling, whereas the coated and embedded specimens transitioned to CFRP rupture with more gradual and ductile behavior. The combined use of multiple CFRP layers and polymer coating produced the most effective performance, with the double-layer embedded configuration (B7) achieving the highest load, strain, and energy absorption. The findings confirm that integrating polyurea coatings with CFRP can effectively delay debonding and significantly improve the reliability and toughness of strengthened RC members, offering a practical solution for more resilient structural retrofitting.