Confinement of RC square columns using prefabricated composite jacketing

Abstract

Jacketing of reinforced concrete columns enhances their strength and ductility. This method, therefore, makes possible the repairing or retrofitting of existing columns in which the conditions have changed in relation to the original design. Usually, steel jackets have been used. However, in recent years, composite jackets have been used increasingly. This material has many advantages which make attractive its use as it has been checked for circular columns. However, for square columns the effectiveness is not so evident. In order to verify this, some compression tests and some numerical studies have been performed on square reinforced concrete columns strengthened using prefabricated fibre-reinforced polymer jackets.The results are presented in this paper.