Methods for computational assessment of the strength of reinforced concrete columns strengthened with metal‑composite materials
Abstract
Methods for computational assessment of the strength of reinforced concrete columns strengthened with metal‑composite materials
Incoming article date: 01.11.2025This paper presents a comprehensive experimental study of an innovative reinforcement technique for reinforced concrete columns based on the combined use of steel and carbon fiber. The rationale for the relevance of the study is presented by analyzing existing technologies for reinforcing reinforced concrete elements subject to compression, with an emphasis on their limitations taken into account when developing a new approach. To assess the impact of the large–scale factor of the innovative reinforcement method based on steel and composite, two groups of samples of reinforced concrete columns (46 in total) of varying flexibility were designed and tested for axial and off-center compression before destruction. The key parameters of the study were the flexibility of the columns, the magnitude of the load eccentricity, the presence of internal and external steel reinforcement, as well as the pitch and cross-sectional area of the composite reinforcement. The effect of these factors on the nature of fracture, ultimate strength, maximum stress and deformation characteristics of columns reinforced with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) reinforced carbon fiber is studied. The results demonstrated that reinforced concrete columns reinforced with CFRP, with identical dimensions and the same loading conditions, have a different increase in ultimate strength compared to their non-reinforced counterparts. The peak stress increases with an increase in the cross-sectional area of the steel reinforcement and decreases with an increase in the pitch of the composite clamps. The maximum axial deformations of reinforced samples increase with a decrease in the interval between composite clamps. The difference in the cross-sectional area of composite reinforcement has no significant effect on the bearing capacity and ultimate deformations of reinforced concrete structures.
Keywords: reinforced concrete, column, metal, testing, composite material, Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer, strengthening