Use Near Surface Mounted FRP Rods for Flexural Retrofitting of RC Columns

Abstract

Near surface mounted (NSM) fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) reinforcement is one of the latest and most promising strengthening techniques for reinforced concrete (RC) structures. This technique based on bonding carbon or glass fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP or GFRP) bars (rods or laminate strips) into pre-cut grooves on the concrete cover of the elements to strength. In this work, a strengthening technique based on near surface mounted (NSM) carbon fiber rods is used to improve the flexural capacity of columns subjected to bending and compression. We describe the strengthening technique and report the experimental results in the strengthening process. The results obtained in series of reinforced concrete columns, subjected to combined constant axial compression and lateral cyclic loading, show that a significant increase on the load carrying capacity and flexural resistance can be achieved by using the NSM technique.