Study The Behavior of Square Reinforced Concrete Columns Strengthened with CFRP

Abstract

There is a scarcity of research regarding the efficacy of Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) confinement on low strength materials. This paper presents the findings of an experimental study that focuses on the behavior of concentrically loaded short concrete columns with low concrete strength, which are confined using CFRP wraps. A set of nine (9) square concrete columns of short length were subjected to testing. The experimental setup consisted of a single unconfined column, referred to as the control column, and eight additional columns that were confined utilizing externally bonded CFRP wraps. These confining schemes were determined based on the findings of a previous study conducted by the authors, which focused on short square columns with smaller cross sections. The study focused on examining the impact of various confinement schemes on the load carrying capacities of columns through the application of concentric uniaxial compression. The implementation of various confinement schemes led to an increase in the load carrying capacities of confined concrete columns, demonstrating the effectiveness of externally bonded CFRP wraps in enhancing the performance of short rectangular concentrically loaded concrete columns. The primary objective of this investigation is to examine the behavior of concrete columns with reinforcement that have been reinforced using carbon fiber composites. The findings demonstrated the efficacy of carbon fibers in the restoration of impaired columns, as evidenced by a notable enhancement in the load-bearing capacity of the columns, ranging from 35% to 90%.