Seismic performance of strengthened reinforced concrete beam-column joints using FRP composites

• Main Authors: Li, Bing, Chua, Grace Hui Ying
• Other Authors: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/95621; http://hdl.handle.net/10220/8393
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Three nonseismically detailed interior reinforced concrete beam-column joints, namely, one eccentric and two concentric joints, strengthened with proposed fiber-reinforced polymer FRP wrapping configurations using glass fiber-reinforced polymer and carbon fiber-reinforced polymer strips and sheets, were tested under constant axial compression load and reversed cyclic loading which simulated low to moderate earthquake forces. Seismic performance of the strengthened beam-column joints in terms of their hysteresis response, stiffness, and energy dissipation capacity is evaluated and compared to those of the original and unstrengthened beam-column joints. Results indicate that applying strips at 45º on a flushed eccentric joint core and as cross bracing on the beam and confinement round the column is very effective. All specimens failed with gradual strength deterioration, bond degradation, and debonding of FRP sheets was observed near the joint core. The proposed strengthening schemes were found to be efficient and economical for mass repair or upgrading of nonseismically detailed structures.