article · Structures
Reinforced concrete columns often require retrofitting or strengthening to bear extra loads during structural upgrades. Conventional techniques relying on steel tubes suffer from corrosion in harsh environments, whilst fibre-reinforced polymer options can be very expensive. An alternative method utilises the exterior bonding of stainless-steel plate strips, which offer greater strength and corrosion resistance. Experimental testing under axial compression loading evaluated nine reinforced concrete columns strengthened with either flat plates or spirally wrapped sheets. These configurations increased cracking loads by 45 to 162 percent, ultimate loads by 26 to 112 percent, and energy absorption capacities by 34 to 190 percent compared to unstrengthened controls. Narrower plate spacing improved ultimate load by up to 44.9 percent, whilst continuous full-height spiral wrapping delivered the highest strength gains despite increased material cost. A validated nonlinear finite element model reliably simulated column behaviour under test conditions.
Aging or upgraded infrastructure frequently requires structural reinforcement that can withstand aggressive environments without excessive expense. Demonstrating that stainless-steel plate bonding significantly enhances load capacity and energy absorption gives structural engineers a durable, corrosion-resistant alternative to existing steel jacketing and fibre-reinforced polymer solutions. The accompanying numerical models further assist engineers in predicting structural responses reliably.
The work addresses structural retrofitting and building upgrade applications for civil engineering contractors and design engineers seeking durable alternatives to corroding steel or costly fibre polymers. Tested through laboratory axial compression experiments on nine columns alongside validated numerical modelling, the technology represents applied and tested research requiring further standardisation and field demonstration before broader adoption in construction practice.
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Reinforced concrete columns may need to be strengthened to support additional load arising from structural upgrades of existing structures or for retrofitting purposes. There is an increasing demand for sustainable and durable construction materials and techniques for strengthening and retrofitting purposes. Existing studies proposed additional jacketing using steel tubes or fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP). However, steel tubes can corrode when exposed to harsh environments whereas jacketing using FRP is very expensive. This study proposes innovative strengthening techniques using exterior bonding of stainless-steel plates (SSP) strips. SSP offers higher strength and corrosion resistance compared to steel and FRP materials. This paper presents an experimental and numerical study on strengthening reinforced concrete columns by innovative exterior bonding of SSP strips. A total of nine reinforced concrete column specimens are experimentally tested under axial compression loading to failure. The columns are strengthened using two different innovative techniques namely bonding stainless-steel plates to the exterior of the columns in flat as well as spirally wrapped around the columns. The cracking load, ultimate load and energy absorption capacity of the strengthened columns are found to be increased within a range of 45%− 162%, 26%− 112% and 34%− 190%, respectively when compared to the unstrengthened control column. The spacing of the SSP significantly effects the performance of strengthened columns. The ultimate load of the columns with reduced spacing increased as high as 44.9%. Additionally, employing a continuous full-height stainless steel spiral sheet yielded the most significant ultimate strength gains, calculated as high as 112% compared to the unstrengthened column although this led to an increase in the cost of the columns. A nonlinear finite element model (FEM) is also performed of the tested columns and validated the numerical prediction against the test results. The FEM is found to accurately predict the performance of such a column experimentally observed. This study provides crucial knowledge to understand the behavior of such a column and provides numerical tools for design engineers.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.istruc.2024.106577
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