Simulation-Based Study on the Performance of NSM-CFRP Strengthening in Prestressed Concrete T-Beams Under Seismic Loading

Prestressed concrete structures are facing serviceability challenges due to rising live loads, material degradation, and seismic demands. Retrofitting with carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) offers a cost-effective alternative to full replacement. This study presents a finite element (FE) modeling framework to simulate the seismic performance of prestressed concrete T-beams retrofitted in the negative moment region using near-surface-mounted (NSM) CFRP rods and sheets. The model incorporates nonlinear material behavior and cohesive interaction at the CFRP–concrete interface and is validated against experimental benchmarks, with ultimate load prediction errors of 4.41% for RC T-beams, 0.49% for prestressed I-beams, and 1.30% for prestressed slabs. A parametric investigation was conducted to examine the influence of CFRP embedment depth and initial prestressing level under three seismic conditions. The results showed that fully embedded CFRP rods consistently improved the beams’ ultimate load capacity, with gains of up to 10.84%, 16.84%, and 14.91% under cyclic loading, near-fault ground motion, and far-field ground motion, respectively. Half-embedded CFRP rods also prove effective and offer comparable improvements where full-depth installation is impractical. The cyclic load–displacement histories, the time–load histories under near-fault and far-field excitations, stiffness degradation, and damage contour analysis further confirm that the synergy between full-depth CFRP retrofitting and optimized prestressing enhances structural resilience and energy dissipation under seismic excitation.