IMPACT EFFECT ON THE EXISTING AND STRENGTHENED REINFORCED CONCRETE COLUMNS

Abstract

Reinforced concrete (RC) columns are the main vertical elements in the buildings. Superstructure loads are transferred to the foundation by the columns whose design involves sufficient section sizes with longitudinal and transverse reinforcements. However, RC columns are required to be strengthened when low concrete quality and lack of reinforcement is stated. The most common strengthening technique for the RC columns is jacketing. In this method, strength of the existing column is improved by concreting and installing jacketing reinforcements. Although columns are designed according to several vertical and lateral load combinations, impact loads whose effects may reach very high values at short notice are not regarded. In the scope of this study, impact behavior of the existing and strengthened RC columns is numerically investigated. For this purpose, non-linear incremental dynamic analysis is carried out by Abaqus software that is widely utilized by engineers for such solutions. Acceleration, displacement and impact load values as well as crack patterns are obtained after numerical analysis. The results are comparatively presented for the existing and the strengthened columns. Analysis outputs reveal that proposed finite element models give an opinion about the impact responses of the RC columns. Consequently, it is evaluated that this study may make contribution to the researchers generating non-linear analysis without having to perform impact experiments that require high costs and heavy workloads in the laboratory conditions.