• Computers and Concrete
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.435-455
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• 2012

In the recent years, rehabilitation of structures, strengthening and increasing the ductility of them under seismic loads have become so vital that many studies has been carried out on the retrofit of steel and concrete members so far. Bridge piers are very important members concerning rehabilitation, in which the plastic hinging zone is very vulnerable. Pier is usually confined by special stirrups predicted in the design procedure; moreover, fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP) jackets are used after construction to confine the pier. FRP wrapping of the piers is one of the most effective ways of increasing moment and ductility capacity of them, which has a growing application due to its relative advantages. In many earthquake-resistant bridges, reinforced concrete columns have a major defect which could be retrofitted in different ways like using FRP. After rehabilitation, it is important to check the strengthening adequacy by dynamic nonlinear analysis and precise modeling of material properties. If the plastic hinge properties are simplified for the strengthened members, as the simplified properties which FEMA 356 proposes for non-strengthened members, static nonlinear analysis could be performed more easily. Current paper involves this matter and it is intended to determine the plastic hinge properties for static nonlinear analysis of the FRP-strengthened circular columns.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.273-292
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• 2014

The effectiveness of a retrofitting method for concrete columns with particular weaknesses is experimentally evaluated and presented in this paper. Structural deficiencies namely the inadequacy of transverse reinforcement and short length of lap splices are very common in columns found in structures built prior to the 1960s and 1970s. Recent earthquakes worldwide have caused severe damages and collapses of these structures. Nevertheless, the importance of improving the load transfer capacity between the deficiently lap-spliced bars is usually underestimated during the strengthening procedures applied in old buildings, though critical for the safety of the residents' lives. Thus, the seismic performance of the enhanced columns is frequently overestimated. The retrofitting approach presented herein involves reinforced concrete jacketing of the column sub-assemblages and welding of the lap-spliced bars to prevent the splice failure and conform to the provisions of modern design Codes. The cyclic lateral loading response of poorly confined original column specimens with insufficient lap splices and the seismic behavior of the retrofitted columns are compared. Test results clearly demonstrate that the retrofitting procedure followed is an effective way of significantly improving the seismic performance of substandard columns found in old buildings.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.499-518
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• 2013

Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) jackets have been widely used as an effective tool for the strengthening and rehabilitation of concrete structures, especially damaged concrete columns. Therefore, a clear understanding of the compressive behavior of FRP-confined concrete is essential. The objective of this paper is to develop a simple efficient method for predicting the compressive strength, the axial strain at the peak stress, and the stress-strain relationship of FRP-confined concrete. In this method, a compressive strength model is established based on Jefferson's failure surface. With the proposed strength model, the strength of FRP-confined concrete can be estimated more precisely. The axial strain at the peak stress is then evaluated using a damage-based formula. Finally, a modified stress-strain relationship is derived based on Lam and Teng's model. The validity of the proposed compressive strength and strain models and the modified stress-strain relationship is verified with a wide range of experimental results collected from the research literature and obtained from the self-conducted test. It can be concluded that, as a competitive alternative, the proposed method can be used to predict the compressive behavior of FRP-confined concrete with reasonable accuracy.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2006

Strengthening of existing old structures has traditionally been accomplished by using conventional materials and techniques, viz., externally bonded steel plates, steel or concrete jackets, etc. Alternatively, fibre reinforced polymer composite (FRPC) products started being used to overcome problems associated with conventional materials in the mid 1950s because of their favourable engineering properties. Effectiveness of FRPC materials has been demonstrated through extensive experimental research throughout the world in the last two decades. However there is a need to use refined analytical tools to simulate response of strengthened system. In this paper, an attempt has been made to develop a numerical model of strengthened reinforced concrete (RC) beams with FRPC laminates. Material models for RC beams strengthened with FRPC laminates are described and verified through a nonlinear finite element (FE) commercial code, with the help of available experimental data. Three dimensional (3D) FE analysis has been performed by assuming perfect bonding between concrete and FRPC laminate. A parametric study has also been performed to examine effects of various parameters like fibre type, stirrup's spacing, etc. on the strengthening system. Through numerical simulation, it has been shown that it is possible to predict accurately the flexural response of RC beams strengthened with FRPC laminates by selecting an appropriate material constitutive model. Comparisons are made between the available experimental results in literature and FE analysis results obtained by the present investigators using load-deflection and load-strain plots as well as ultimate load of the strengthened beams. Furthermore, evaluation of crack patterns from FE analysis and experimental failure modes are discussed at the end.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.43-61
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• 2006

An investigation of the effectiveness of the interface treatment when column concrete jacketing is performed is presented. Alternative methods of interface connection were used in order to investigate the performance of strengthened concrete columns. These connecting techniques involved roughening the surface of the original column, embedding steel dowels into the original column and a combination of these two techniques. The experimental program included three strengthened specimens, one original specimen (unstrengthened) and one as-built specimen (monolithic). The specimens represented half height full-scale old Greek Code (1950's) designed ground floor columns of a typical concrete frame building. The jackets of the strengthened specimens were constructed with shotcrete. All specimens were subjected to displacement controlled earthquake simulation loading. The seismic performance of the strengthened specimens is compared to both the original and the monolithic specimens. The comparison was performed in terms of strength, stiffness and hysteretic response. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the strengthening methods and indicate that the proper construction of a jacket can improve the behaviour of the specimens up to a level comparable to monolithic behaviour. It was found that different methods of interface treatment could influence the failure mechanism and the crack patterns of the specimens. It was also found that the specimen that combined roughening with dowel placement performed the best and all strengthened columns were better at dissipating energy than the monolithic specimen.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.27-44
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• 2023

The current study targets to apply the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) for the estimation of the shear resistance offered by the externally bonded fiber-reinforced polymer (EB-FRP) U-jackets. A total of 202 groups of data cumulated from previous investigations, were employed for the development and evaluation of the ANFIS model. A relative appraisal between the ANFIS predictions and the results of experiments has shown that the assessments by current ANFIS model are in good concurrence with the latter. In addition, assessment of the accuracy of the ANFIS model was done by relating the ANFIS predictions with the forecasts of eight extensively used design guidelines. Based on the examination of various performance measures, it has been derived that the adequacy of the ANFIS model is better than the available guidelines. A parametric investigation has additionally been done to reconnoiter the influence of individual parameters as well as their combined effects on the shear contribution of EB-FRP. Based on the observations made from the parametric study, it has been witnessed that the ANFIS model has incorporated the effect of different parameters more competently than the considered design guidelines.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.411-425
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• 2020

Unreinforced masonry (URM) walls present low shear strength and are prone to brittle failure when subjected to inplane seismic overloads. This paper discusses the shear strengthening of URM walls with Textile Reinforced Mortar (TRM) jackets. The available literature is thoroughly reviewed and an extended database is developed including available brick, concrete and stone URM walls retrofitted and subjected to shear tests to assess their strength. Further, the experimental results of the database are compared against the available shear strength design models from ACI 549.4R-13, CNR DT 215 2018, CNR DT 200 R1/2013, Eurocode 6 and Eurocode 8 guidelines as well as Triantafillou and Antonopoulos 2000, Triantafillou 1998, Triantafillou 2016. The performance of the available models is investigated and the prediction average absolute error (AAE) is as high as 40%. A new model is proposed that takes into account the additional contribution of the reinforcing mortar layer of the TRM jacket that is usually neglected. Further, the approach identifies the plethora of different block materials, joint mortars and TRM mortars and grids and introduces rational calibration of their variable contributions on the shear strength. The proposed model provides more accurate shear strength predictions than the existing models for all different types of the URM substrates, with a low AAE equal to 22.95%.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.31 no.1A
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• pp.19-24
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• 2011

Concrete columns strengthening effect due to FRP (Fiber Reinforced Polymer) confinement depends on the elastic modulus of the FRP. This study analyzes the retrofitting effect of FRP confinements according to elastic modulus of FRPs using the existing data and suggests a practical model to assess the strengthening effect. This study subdivides the FRP elastic modulus into three parts based on normal concrete and steel elastic modulus. The slope and the y-axis intersection seem to increase with increasing FRP elastic modulus. In addition, the strengthening effect does not develop up to some amount of FRP confinement having relatively smaller elastic modulus than the compressive elastic modulus of concrete. In this case, a linear model to assess the strengthening effect is hard to be used. Thus, this study suggests that the FRP jackets having 2 times larger elastic modulus than that of concrete are recommended to be used for retrofit of concrete and that a linear model can be applied for the case. The suggested model shows nearly the same result regardless to the restraint of the y-axis intersection. This has been observed at the model of steel confinement and, thus, is a reliable result.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.727-745
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• 2005

The present study is an experimental investigation into the behaviour of high strength concrete square short columns subjected to biaxial bending moments and strengthened by GFRP laminates. The main objectives of the study are: to evaluate the improvement in the structural performance of HSC short square columns subjected to small biaxial eccentricity when strengthened by externally applied FRP laminates, and to investigate the optimum arrangement and amount of FRP laminates to achieve potential enhancement in structural performance especially ductility. The parameters considered in this study are: number of FRP layers and arrangement of wraps. The load eccentricity is kept corresponding to e/t = 0.125 in two perpendicular directions to the columns principal axes, and the wraps are applied in single or double layers (partial or full wrapping). In the present work, test results of five full scale concrete columns are presented and discussed. The study has shown that FRP wraps can be used successfully to enhance the ductility of HSC columns subjected to biaxial bending by 300%.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.313-328
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• 2016

Beam-column joints are recognized as one of the most critical and vulnerable zones of a Reinforced Concrete (RC) moment resisting structure subjected to seismic loads. The performance of the deficient beam-column joints can be improved by retrofitting these joints by jacketing them with varied materials like concrete, steel, FRP and ferrocement. In the present study strength behavior of RCC exterior beam-column joints, initially loaded to a prefixed percentage of the ultimate load, and retrofitted using ferrocement jacketing using two different wrapping schemes has been studied and presented. In retrofitting scheme, RS-I, wire mesh is provided in L shape at top and at bottom of the beam-column joint, whereas, in scheme RS-II along with wire mesh in L shape at top and bottom wire mesh is also provided diagonally to the joint. The results of these retrofitted beam-column joints have been compared with those of the controlled joint specimens. The results show an improvement in the ultimate load carrying capacity and yield load of the retrofitted specimens. However, no improvement in the ductility and energy absorption has been observed.