Strengthening RC frames subjected to lateral load with Ultra High-Performance fiber reinforced concrete using damage plasticity model

Abstract

Material non-linearity of Reinforced Concrete (RC) framed structures is studied by modelling concrete using the Concrete Damage Plasticity (CDP) theory. The stress-strain data of concrete in compression is modelled using the Hsu model. The structures are analyzed using a finite element approach by modelling them in ABAQUS / CAE. Single bay single storey RC frames, designed according to Indian Standard (IS):456:2000 and IS:13920:2016 are considered for assessing their maximum load carrying capacity and failure behavior under the influence of gravity loads and lateral loads. It is found that the CDP model is effective in predicting the failure behaviors of RC frame structures. Under the influence of the lateral load, the structure designed according to IS:13920 had a higher load carrying capacity when compared with the structure designed according to IS:456. Ultra High Performance Fiber Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC) strip is used for strengthening the columns and beam column joints of the RC frame individually against lateral loads. 10mm and 20mm thick strips are adopted for the numerical simulation of RC column and beam-column joint. Results obtained from the study indicated that UHPFRC with two different thickness strips acts as a very good strengthening material in increasing the load carrying capacity of columns and beam-column joint by more than 5%. UHPFRC also improved the performance of the RC frames against lateral loads with an increase of more than 3.5% with the two different strips adopted. 20 mm thick strip is found to be an ideal size to enhance the load carrying capacity of the columns and beam-column joints. Among the strengthening locations adopted in the study, column strengthening is found to be more efficient when compared with the beam column joint strengthening.