Reliable machine learning for the shear strength of beams strengthened using externally bonded FRP jackets

All over the world, shear strengthening of reinforced concrete elements using external fiber-reinforced polymer jackets could be used to improve building sustainability. However, reports issued by the American Concrete Institute called for heavy scrutiny before actual field implementation. The very limited number of proposed shear equations lacks reliability and accuracy. Thus, further investigation in this area is needed. In addition, machine-learning techniques are being implemented successfully to develop strength models for complex problems including shear, flexure, and torsion. This study aims to provide a reliable machine-learning model for reinforced concrete beams strengthened in shear using externally reinforced fiber polymer sheets. The proposed model was developed and validated against the experimental database and the very limited models in existing literature. The model showed better agreement with the experimentally measured strength compared to the previous models, which accounted for the effect of various parameters including but not limited to: the element geometry, strengthening details, and configurations. The model could guide the further developments of design codes and mechanical models.