Finite element analysis of reinforced concrete columns confined with composite materials

Abstract

The use of composite materials in civil engineering, especially for the strengthening and retrofitting of existing structural elements, is a domain that is growing at a fast pace. The rapid expansion of the structural repair business has already provided numerous opportunities to demonstrate the potential of these materials. However, it has also indicated the need to better understand their properties and the necessity of reliable models to predict the behaviour of repaired structures and the long-term response of those materials considering the effects of freeze and thaw or UV exposure. This article presents a model to predict the ultimate load of a reinforced concrete column confined with composite materials without post-peak response. In addition to the ultimate load, the model identifies the evolution of stresses and strains in the column during the entire loading process. Calculations are made under constant axial and incremental lateral load. The finite element calculations presented here are based on the use of bar elements. These are numerically integrated, considering the appropriate behaviour of the materials in the section of the column. Special attention was paid to the development of a stress-strain relationship representative of the actual behaviour of concrete confined with composite materials.Key words: composite materials, reinforced concrete column, repair, modelling.