Methods for flexural strengthening of reinforced concrete elements using steel plates

When reinforced concrete elements are incapable of safely sustaining the anticipated load, flexural strengthening may be necessary. Two major construction methods have been reported in literature for strengthening reinforced concrete (RC) elements in bending. These methods include Externally Bonded Reinforcement (EBR) and Near Surface Mounting (NSM). The aim of this paper is review these methods, including the extensive surface preparation that must be performed on bonded elements. Previous investigations have shown that these techniques are effective in salvaging old and distressed reinforced concrete structures. This paper identifies the problems associated with the utilisation of steel plates as strengthening material for RC elements in EBR and NSM techniques.