Abstract
This paper presents the behavior and strengthening effect of reinforced concrete rectangular beams strengthened using CFRP sheets with different strengthening level. In general, normally strengthened beams are failed by interfacial shear failure (delamination) within concrete, instead of by tensile failure of the CFRP sheets. The delamination occurred suddenly and the concrete cover cracked vertically by flexure was spalled off due to the release energy. The strengthened beams were stiffer than the control beam before and after reinforcement yielding. The ultimate load considerably increased with an increase of strengthening level, while the ultimate deflection significantly decreased. The tensile force of CFRP sheets and average shear stress of concrete at delamination failure were curvilinearly proportional to the strengthening level. Therefore, the increment of ultimate load obtained by strengthening was curvilinearly proportional to the strengthening level. The averaged horizontal shear stress of concrete at the interface ranges between (equation omitted) and (equation omitted) (in kg/$\textrm{cm}^2$) depending on strengthening level.