Finite element modelling and theoretical predictions of FRP-reinforced concrete columns confined with various FRP-tubes

Abstract

The present research work has endeavored to investigate the structural behavior of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) reinforced concrete columns confined with FRP-tubes under axial concentric and eccentric loadings. A finite element analysis (FEA) model of FRP-tube confined concrete columns having longitudinal reinforcements of either carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) and/or glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars, was simulated using a finite element (FE) package ABAQUS 6.14 which was then, calibrated for different material and geometric models of concrete, FRP-tube and FRP longitudinal reinforcement using the experimental results from the literature. The comparative study shows that the proposed FEA model presented a close agreement with the experimental measurements. A detailed parametric study was performed using the FEA model to examine the effects of various parameters of FRP composite columns on the axial load capacity and axial deflection. Moreover, a large database of axial strengths of 685 FRP-confined concrete compression members was developed from the previous researches to propose an empirical model that predicts the ultimate axial strength of FRP reinforced concrete columns confined with FRP-tubes accurately. The comparison of predictions of the proposed empirical model with the FEA predictions from the parametric study portrayed a close agreement among them. Thus, the proposed models are accurate enough to predict the behavior of FRP reinforced concrete columns confined with FRP-tubes.