FRP Confinement of Square Masonry Columns

The problem of masonry columns subjected to structural deficiency under axial load was studied and reported in this paper. The results of an extensive experimental campaign are presented in order to show the behavior of columns built with clay or with calcareous blocks, commonly found in southern Italy, especially in historical buildings. Rectangular masonry columns were tested for a total of 33 specimens; uniaxial compression tests were conducted on columns taking into account the influence of several variables: different strengthening schemes (internal and/or external confinement), curvature radius of the corners, amount of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) reinforcement, cross-section aspect ratio, and material of masonry blocks. Materials characterization was preliminarily carried out including a mechanical test on plain masonry. For all cases the experimental results evidenced a significant increase in load carrying capacity and ductility after FRP strengthening, which identified the columns as ductile elements despite the brittle nature of the unconfined masonry. Differences in mechanical behavior, due to the geometry of the columns, to the nature of different materials, to different strengthening schemes, and to the amount of reinforcement, are presented and discussed in the paper. The calibration of design equations recently developed by Italian National Research Council, CNR was conducted to compare analytical prediction and experimental results. The same procedure was applied to calibrate an analytical model recently published, in which the existing coefficients are related only to clay. Here the model is applied to limestone for the first time. Thus, new important information is furnished to researchers and practitioners involved in structural assessment and strengthening of compressed elements in historical buildings.     

Refinement of a Design-Oriented Stress–Strain Model for FRP-Confined Concrete

This paper presents the results of a recent study conducted to refine the design-oriented stress–strain model originally proposed by Lam and Teng for fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP)-confined concrete under axial compression. More accurate expressions for the ultimate axial strain and the compressive strength are proposed for use in this model. These new expressions are based on results from recent tests conducted by the writers’ group under well-defined conditions and on results from a parametric study using an accurate analysis-oriented stress–strain model for FRP-confined concrete. They allow the effects of confinement stiffness and the jacket strain capacity to be separately reflected and accounts for the effect of confinement stiffness explicitly instead of having it reflected only through the confinement ratio. The new expressions can be easily incorporated into Lam and Teng’s model for more accurate predictions. Based on these new expressions, two modified versions of Lam and Teng’s model are presented. The first version involves only the updating of the ultimate axial strain and compressive strength equations. The second version caters to stress–strain curves with a descending branch, which is not covered by the original model.     

Seismic Behavior of RC Columns with Bond-Critical Regions: Criteria for Bond Strengthening Using External FRP Jackets

In 2003, an experimental research program was initiated at the American University of Beirut with the objectives of (1) evaluating the effectiveness of external fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) confinement in improving the bond strength of spliced reinforcement in reinforced-concrete (RC) columns and its implications on the lateral load capacity and ductility of the columns under seismic loading; and (2) establishing rational design criteria for bond strengthening of spliced reinforcement using external FRP jackets. This paper presents a discussion of recent experimental results dealing with rectangular columns and the results of a pilot study conducted on circular columns with particular emphasis on aspects related to the bond strength of the spliced column reinforcement. A nonlinear analysis model is developed for predicting the envelope load–drift response, taking into account the effect of FRP confinement on the stress–strain behavior of concrete in compression. Results predicted by the model showed excellent agreement with the test results. Design expressions of the bond strength of spliced bars in FRP-confined concrete were assessed against the current experimental data, and a criterion for seismic FRP strengthening of bond-critical regions in RC members is proposed.     

FRP Confinement of Tuff and Clay Brick Columns: Experimental Study and Assessment of Analytical Models

In recent years, fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) wrapping effectiveness has been clearly confirmed especially with reference to concrete structures. Despite evident advantages of FRP based confinement on members subjected to compressive overloads due to static or seismic actions, the use of such technique in the field of masonry has not been fully explored. Thus, to assess the potential of confinement of masonry columns, the present paper shows the results of an experimental program dealing with 18 square cross sections (listed faced tuff or clay brick) masonry scaled columns subjected to uniaxial compression load. In particular, three different confinement solutions have been experimentally analyzed in order to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of uniaxial glass FRP, carbon FRP, and basalt FRP laminates wrapping. The main experimental outcomes are presented and discussed in the paper considering mechanical behavior of specimens, axial stress-axial strain relationships, and effective strains at failure on the reinforcement. Test results have showed that the investigated confining systems are able to provide significant gains both in terms of compressive strength and ductility of masonry columns. Results of the presented experimental activity along with data available in the literature have been finally used to assess the reliability of the main existing analytical models; refined equations have been then proposed to minimize the scattering between theoretical predictions and experimental available data.     

Model of FRP-Confined Concrete Cylinders in Axial Compression

This paper introduces a dilatancy-based analytical model of the response of an axially loaded concrete cylinder, confined with a fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite jacket. Model construction is based on the experimentally based observation that the relation between axial secant stiffness and the lateral (dilatancy) strain is effectively unique for cylinders with the same unconfined concrete strength, although the confinement levels may differ. Model development incorporates strength degradation of the concrete with dilatancy (lateral dilation); this feature allows one to demonstrate that the performance of FRP-confined concrete is consistent with the strength envelope obtained from triaxial tests. Model validation is accomplished by comparisons with existing test database and the new results on large-scale concrete cylinders. The results of the validation reveal good agreement with key response functions and parameters. The present study illustrates basic constitutive equations to model FRP-confined concrete in a more rational manner.     

Experimental Study of Normal- and High-Strength Concrete Confined with Fiber-Reinforced Polymers

The experimental program reported here was conducted to gain insight into the behavior of concrete confined with fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs). A total of 112 cylindrical concrete specimens, each 150 mm in diameter, 300 mm in height, and concrete strength up to 112 MPa, were tested under monotonic uniaxial compression. Test variables included amount of FRP, strength and stiffness of FRP, concrete strength, and the health of concrete at the time of strengthening. Results showed that, with an increase of the unconfined concrete strength, the strength enhancement, energy absorption capacity, ductility factor, and work (energy) index at rupture of FRP jackets all decreased remarkably. A positive correlation was found between concrete ductility and FRP rupture strain. A gradual post-peak failure of the specimens, observed previously from FRP-confined concrete columns tested at the University of Toronto, was also observed in some of the current tests. This ductile failure, attributed to the gradual unzipping failure of FRP jacket, is related to specimen size and is explained in terms of various confinement parameters.     

Structural Upgrading of Masonry Columns by Using Composite Reinforcements

Emerging techniques that use fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites for strengthening and conservation of historic masonry are becoming increasingly accepted. In the last decades steel plates or wood frames were used for external confinement in containing the lateral dilation of masonry columns subjected to axial loads. In the last years FRP epoxy bonded strips or jackets were also employed to increase strength and ductility with encouraging results in terms of mechanical behavior and cost effectiveness. The behavior of masonry columns confined with FRP and subjected to axial compression is studied in this paper. An extended experimental investigation is presented in order to show the mechanical behavior of circular masonry columns built with calcareous blocks that may be commonly found in Italy and all over Europe in historical buildings. Different stacking schemes were used to build the columns, aiming to simulate the most common situations in existing masonry structures. Carbon FRP sheets were applied as external reinforcement; different amounts and different schemes of confining reinforcement were studied. The experiments include a new reinforcement technique made by using injected FRP bars through the columns cross section. Such a solution can be considered in place of a more traditional confinement, when external reinforcement must be avoided, or in addition to external reinforcement when an improved confinement effect is required. The structural behavior of masonry columns damaged under different levels of load and strengthened by using FRP reinforcements, was also investigated. Experimental results revealed the effectiveness of the FRP confinement for masonry columns, also for columns that were strongly predamaged before strengthening. A computation of the ultimate load was conducted using the Italian National Research Council recommendations to show an application of the design approach recently proposed in Italy. An existing analytical model, previously developed by the writers, was applied for computation of expected experimental values.     

Axial Load Capacity of Concrete-Filled FRP Tube Columns: Experimental versus Theoretical Predictions

This paper presents the experimental and theoretical results of small and medium-scale concrete-filled fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) tube (CFFT) columns. A total of 23 CFFT specimens were tested under axial compression load. Five different types of new FRP tubes were used as stay-in-place formwork for the columns. The effects of the following parameters were examined: the FRP-confinement ratio, the unconfined concrete compressive strength, the presence of longitudinal steel reinforcement, and the height-to-diameter ratio. Comparisons between the experimental test results and the theoretical prediction values by the three North American codes and design guidelines (ACI 440.2R-08, CSA-S6-06, and CSA-S806-02) are performed in terms of confined concrete strength and ultimate load carrying capacity. The results of this investigation indicate that the design equations of the ACI 440.2R-08, CAN/CSA-S6-06, and CAN/CSA-S806-02 overestimate the factored axial load capacity of the short CFFT columns as compared to the yield and crack load levels. Also, the CAN/CSA-S6-06 and CAN/CSA-S806-02 confinement models showed conservative predictions, while the ACI 440.2R-08 was slightly less conservative. A new confinement model is proposed for the confined concrete compressive strength of the CFFT cylinders. Also, the design equations are modified to accurately predict the ultimate and yield load capacities of internally reinforced and unreinforced short CFFT columns. Two new factors are introduced in the modified equations, (kcc) accounts for the in-place-strength of CFFT columns to CFFT cylinder strength, and (kcr) accounts for the initiation of the steel yielding and concrete cracking for the FRP-confined columns.     

古砖塔子结构压剪复合受力性能分析

为研究古塔子结构的受力性能,设计制作了3件不同楼层的子结构缩尺模型试件,进行低周反复加载试验,观察试件的开裂、变形及破坏现象;建立数值模型进行计算,得到了试验荷载作用下各试件的等效塑性应变、荷载?位移曲线,将计算结果与试验结果进行对比,分析竖向压应力对古塔砌体抗震性能的影响。结果表明,特征荷载的计算值相对试验值的误差均小于21%,等效塑性应变的分布与试件开裂破坏区域一致;当竖向压力保持恒定时,随着水平荷载的增大,塔体沿砌筑缝逐渐开裂破坏,裂缝宽度亦随之增大,在塔体洞口周围的破坏更为明显,且试件残余变形增大;随着压剪比的增大,古塔砌体开裂破坏的范围减小,抗剪承载力、刚度以及耗能能力均有所提高,但延性和变形能力略有降低。研究结果为砖石古塔建筑结构损伤及抗震能力评定提供参考。      

Theoretical Model for Fiber-Reinforced Polymer-Confined Concrete

Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites have found increasingly wide applications in civil engineering due to their high strength-to-weight ratio and high corrosion resistance. One important application of FRP composites is as a confining material for concrete, particularly in the strengthening or seismic retrofit of existing reinforced concrete columns by the provision of a FRP jacket. FRP confinement can enhance both the compressive strength and the ultimate strain of concrete significantly. This paper presents a new stress–strain model for FRP-confined concrete in which the responses of the concrete core and the FRP jacket as well as their interaction are explicitly considered. Such a model is often referred to as an analysis-oriented model. The key novel feature of the proposed analysis-oriented model, compared to existing models of the same kind, is a more accurate and more widely applicable lateral strain equation based on a careful interpretation of the lateral deformation characteristics of unconfined, actively confined, and FRP-confined concrete. Through comparisons with independent test data, the proposed model is shown to be accurate not only for FRP-confined concrete but also for concrete confined with a steel tube, demonstrating the wide applicability of the model to concrete confined with different confining materials. The accuracy of the proposed model is also shown to be superior to existing analysis-oriented stress-strain models through comparisons with test data.     

Suitability of Micromechanical Model for Elastic Analysis of Masonry

A micromechanical model is proposed for determining the overall linear elastic mechanical properties of simple-texture brick masonry. The model, originally developed for long-fiber composites, relies on the exact solution due to Eshelby and describes brickwork as a mortar matrix with insertions of elliptical cylinder-shaped bricks. Macroscopic elastic constants are derived from the mechanical properties of the constituent materials and phase volume ratios. Conformity of the suggested model to real brickwork behavior has been verified by performing uniaxial compression tests on masonry panels composed of fired bricks and mud mortar. Composite masonry panels of varying phase percentages were then constructed and tested by replacing several of the fired bricks with mud bricks. Comparison of experimental results with theoretical predictions demonstrates that the model is suitable even in the presence of strongly differentiated phases, and is moreover able to predict different behavior as a function of phase concentration. The model fits experimental results more closely than the micromechanical models previously reported in the literature.     

Stress-Strain Model for Fiber-Reinforced Polymer-Confined Concrete

The design of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP)-confined concrete members requires accurate evaluation of the performance enhancement due to the confinement provided by FRP composite jackets. A strain ductility-based model is developed for predicting the compressive behavior of normal strength concrete confined with FRP composite jackets. The model is applicable to both bonded and nonbonded FRP-confined concrete and can be separated into two components: a strain-softening component, which accounts for unrestrained internal crack propagation in the concrete core, and a strain-hardening component, which accounts for strength increase due to confinement provided by the FRP composite jacket. A variable strain ductility ratio described in a companion paper is used to develop the proposed stress-strain model. Equilibrium and strain compatibility are used to obtain the ultimate compressive strength and strain of FRP-confined concrete as a function of the confining stiffness and ultimate strain of the FRP jacket.     

Analytical Investigation of Lateral Strength of Masonry Infilled RC Frames Retrofitted with CFRP

In this study, two reinforced concrete frames with hollow clay tile masonry infill walls, retrofitted with diagonally applied carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP), which were tested previously, were analytically investigated. A simple material model for the masonry infill wall strengthened with CFRP is suggested. The lateral strength of each rehabilitated frame was obtained by pushover analysis of four different models using a commercially available finite-element program, and the results were compared with the test results. We also determined the lateral strength of the CFRP-applied masonry infill walls, and compared the results with the results obtained from existing analytical models. Drift capacity of the masonry infill walls strengthened with CFRP was also investigated, and the drift capacity of the masonry infill walls strengthened with diagonally applied CFRP was recommended. It is concluded that the strength of the masonry infilled frames strengthened with diagonally applied CFRP can be satisfactorily predicted with the suggested procedure. The ultimate drift capacity of the masonry infill walls strengthened with diagonally applied CFRP strips was conservatively predicted to be 1.0%.     

Short and Medium Term Durability Evaluation of FRP-Confined Circular Concrete

Evaluation of environmental durability of concrete circular specimens strengthened using externally applied fiber-reinforced-polymer (FRP) composites for confinement reinforcement was studied. FRP-confined concrete cylinder tests were carried out for various environmental exposure conditions including interior, exterior, and freeze–thaw cycling in saltwater. Two types of resin matrix-based FRP composite systems, including epoxy and urethane resin, utilizing either carbon or glass fibers were used. In addition, continuous single and double layer wrapping schemes were applied for confinement for each of the four FRP composite systems. The overall stress–strain behavior of FRP-confined concrete does not change fundamentally but different levels of exposure significantly affect its absolute stress–strain curve. The radial strain and corresponding axial strain at the point of zero volumetric strain is significantly affected by different levels of environmental exposure. It is proposed that the relative FRP composite effectiveness must be used to calculate the ultimate radial strain of FRP-confined concrete. It was found that for the four FRP systems used in this study the ultimate radial strain is not significantly affected by the type of exposure. The writers believe that the results shown in this paper help engineers to understand the short and midterm effects of the environment on FRP confined concrete; long term effects are still under investigation.     

Variable Strain Ductility Ratio for Fiber-Reinforced Polymer-Confined Concrete

The encasement of concrete in fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite jackets can significantly increase the compressive strength and strain ductility of concrete columns and the structural system of which the columns are a part, be it a building or a bridge. Due to the approximate bilinear compressive behavior of FRP-confined concrete, analysis and design of FRP-confined concrete members requires an accurate estimate of the performance enhancement due to the confinement provided by FRP composite jackets. An analytical model is presented for predicting the bilinear compressive behavior of concrete confined with either bonded or nonbonded FRP composite jackets. This article describes the basis of the model, which is a variable plastic strain ductility ratio. The variable plastic strain ductility ratio defines the increase in plastic compressive strain relative to the increase in the plastic compressive strength of the FRP-confined concrete, which is a function of the hoop stiffness of the confining FRP composite jacket, the plastic dilation rate, and the type of bond between the FRP composite and concrete.     

Development and Performance Evaluation of Interlocking-Block Masonry

Accelerated mortarless masonry constructions have been developed or are being used in different countries with limited research studies. This paper discusses first the salient features of interlocking-block masonry and then the development of simple interlocking-concrete-block masonry systems, keeping in view the requirements of shape simplicity and ease of manufacture. Testing of wallettes under axial compression, eccentric compression (e∕t ratios of 0, t/6, and t/3), and flexural loading parallel and perpendicular to bed joints were carried out on dry-stacked specimens. Interlocking-block masonry results in relatively high efficiency factors in axial compression and eccentric-to-axial capacity ratio when compared with mortar bedded masonry. Unlike conventional masonry, the flexural capacity of interlocking-block masonry normal to the bed joint is higher than that parallel to the bed joint. A better interlocking mechanism of channel-shaped interlocking blocks, as compared to I-shaped blocks, leads to a relatively higher flexural capacity of the former.     

基于Drucker-Prager/Cap模型的W–Cu20粉末轧制数值模拟

将Drucker-Prager/Cap塑性模型引入到高硬度W–Cu20粉末轧制有限元分析中,利用巴西圆盘试验、单轴压缩试验以及模压试验得到Drucker-Prager/Cap塑性模型参数,借助商业有限元软件ABAQUS以及Fortran自编的VUSDFLD子程序,建立粉末轧制的有限元模型,并与实际试验进行了比对。结果表明:模拟结果中的板料相对密度和板料厚度与实际实验结果吻合较好,最大误差为4.47%,说明Drucker-Prager/Cap塑性模型对粉末轧制工艺研究有参考意义。     

Behavior and Modeling of Confined High-Strength Concrete

This paper presents a study on the behavior and modeling of the stress-strain behavior of confined high-strength concrete (HSC) without silica fume. The behavior of actively confined HSC is first examined, and a unified active-confinement model applicable to both HSC and normal-strength concrete (NSC) is then proposed based on a large test database assembled from the existing literature. An experimental study on fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP)-confined HSC is next presented and interpreted to examine its behavior, forming the basis for the subsequent modeling work. It is eventually shown that a recent analysis-oriented model developed by the writers’ group for NSC also provides close predictions for FRP-confined HSC. While the work is primarily concerned with HSC without silica fume, the effect of incorporating silica fume into HSC on the behavior of confined HSC is also given appropriate attention. The presence of silica fume in HSC is shown to reduce the effectiveness of confinement in term of strain capacity.     

Effects of Corrosion of Steel Reinforcement on RC Columns Wrapped with FRP Sheets

This study investigated the effectiveness of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets in protecting reinforced concrete (RC) columns from corrosion of steel reinforcement. Thirty small-scale RC columns and four midscale RC columns were used in this study. The small-scale columns were used for a comprehensive parametric study, whereas the midscale columns were used to evaluate design guidelines proposed based on the results of the small-scale column tests. The test columns were conditioned under an accelerated corrosion process and then tested under uniaxial compression up to failure. The test results showed that although CFRP sheet wrapping decreased the corrosion rate, the corrosion of steel reinforcement could continue to occur, eventually showing a decrease in ultimate axial compression capacity. Design guidelines were proposed based on the small-scale RC column tests and evaluated through a comparison with the test results of midscale RC columns. The proposed design guidelines introduced a concept of effective area to account for the corrosion damage, such as internal cracking and cross-sectional loss of steel reinforcement.     

Study of the Behavior of Concrete under Triaxial Compression

An experimental study of the confined compression behavior of concrete has been performed using 150×300?mm cylindrical specimens subjected to hydrostatic pressure in a triaxial cell and axial loading through a servo-hydraulic testing machine. A confining stress range of 0 to 60 MPa (about twice the uniaxial compressive strength) was employed to obtain the brittle-ductile transition behavior of the material. The increase in confining pressure leads to a change in the mode of failure and an increase in the maximum axial load-carrying capacity. It is seen that, at zero or low confinement, there is distributed microcracking and several macrocracks, and the response exhibits a well-defined peak and subsequent softening. At high confinements, relatively large axial and transversal strains of over 10% have been obtained, with monotonically increasing loads leading to horizontal plateaus. There is no distributed cracking and failure occurs with the propagation of few macrocracks. In general, the observed trends confirm and extend previous results reported in the literature. Optical microscopy shows extensive microcracking, especially in the aggregates, and pore collapse at high confinement. A preliminary interpretation of the results based on the theory of elastoplasticity is also presented.