Behavior of large-scale FRP-confined rectangular RC columns under axial compression

Abstract

Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) jacketing has become an attractive technique for strengthening/retrofitting reinforced concrete (RC) columns. Extensive research has been conducted on FRP-confined rectangular columns under axial compression, leading to a significant number of stress-strain models for FRP-confined concrete in these columns. However, most of these models have been developed based on test results of small-scale columns, so their applicability to large FRP-confined rectangular RC columns has yet to be properly validated. To this end, the present paper first presents the test results of an experimental study consisting of nine large-scale rectangular RC columns, including eight FRP-confined RC columns and one RC column without FRP jacketing as the control specimen, tested under axial compression. The experimental program examined the sectional corner radius and the FRP jacket thickness as the key test variables. Five representative design-oriented stress-strain models for FRP-confined concrete in rectangular columns, identified from critical reviews of the existing literature, are then assessed using the test results to examine their validity for these large-scale columns.