Strength Enhancement of Rectangular Reinforced Concrete

Columns using Fiber-Reinforced Polymer

Kiang Hwee Tan1
Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by Addis Ababa Science and Technology University on 10/30/19. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved.

Abstract: The strength enhancement of concentrically loaded columns bonded with external fiber-reinforced polymer 共FRP兲 systems
arises from two sources. First, the confinement effect of transverse fiber sheets leads to an increase in the uniaxial compressive strength
of the confined concrete, resulting subsequently in an increase in the contribution of concrete to the load-carrying capacity of the column.
Second, the longitudinal fiber sheets contribute directly to the load-carrying capacity of the column. The confinement effect of the
externally bonded FRP systems in rectangular columns is known to be less than that in circular or square columns. This study specifically
examines the case of rectangular reinforced concrete columns with a section aspect ratio of 3.65, which are typical in construction of
monolithic housing apartments. A total of 52 half-scale, short columns were fabricated and tested to failure under a concentric load to
investigate the effect of fiber type and configuration and fiber anchors on the strength enhancement of the columns. The effect of the
presence of plaster finishes was also examined. A simple analytical approach is proposed for the evaluation of the axial load capacity of
the strengthened columns.
DOI: 10.1061/共ASCE兲1090-0268共2002兲6:3共175兲
CE Database keywords: Axial loads; Bearing capacity; Concrete columns; Fiber reinforced materials; Reinforcement.

Introduction pressive strength of the confined concrete, resulting subsequently

Fiber-reinforced polymer 共FRP兲 systems have been extensively
used to improve the performance of reinforced concrete compres-
sion members in terms of strength and ductility. In either case, the
improvement derives from the confinement effect on the concrete
core by the transverse fiber reinforcement. However, such an ef-
fect is significant in circular sections and, to some extent, in
square sections rather than in rectangular sections, especially
those with large aspect ratios 共ACI 2002兲.
The objective of this study is to investigate the use of FRP
systems in the strengthening of rectangular reinforced concrete
columns with a section having an aspect ratio of about 3.65,
which are typical in construction of monolithic housing apart-
ments, without having to reprofile the geometry of the columns.
in an increase in the contribution of concrete to the load-carrying
capacity of the column. Second, the longitudinal fiber sheets con-
tribute directly to the load-carrying capacity of the column.
Mander et al. (1988) Model
Mander et al. 共1988兲 had provided a model to calculate the in-
crease in concrete compressive strength due to confining pressure
provided by transverse reinforcement in reinforced concrete col-
umns. The model has been extended to the case of FRP-confined
circular and squarelike reinforced concrete by several researchers
共Wang and Restrepo 2001兲. For a circular section, the confined
concrete strength is given by

冉 冑 冊
An extensive test program was carried out, and a simple analyti-
cal approach is proposed herein to evaluate the axial load capacity fl fl
f ⬘cc ⫽ f ⬘c 2.25 1⫹7.9 ⫺2 ⫺1.25 (1)
of the strengthened columns. f ⬘c f ⬘c

where f l ⫽confining pressure provided by the transverse fiber

Theoretical Considerations sheets and f ⬘c ⫽unconfined concrete strength. For rectangular sec-
tions in which the confining pressures in two orthogonal direc-
The strength enhancement in columns using FRP systems may be tions, f lx and f ly , are different, the confined concrete strength is
considered to arise from two sources. First, the confinement effect given by
of transverse fiber sheets leads to an increase in the uniaxial com-
f ⬘cc ⫽␣ 1 ␣ 2 f ⬘c (2)
1
Associate Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, National Univ. of
Singapore, Block E1A, 07-03, 1 Engineering Dr. 2, Singapore 117576. where
E-mail: cvetankh@nus.edu.sg
Note. Discussion open until January 1, 2003. Separate discussions ␣ 1 ⫽1.25关 1.8冑共 1⫹7.84f lx / f ⬘c 兲 ⫺1.6f lx / f ⬘c ⫺1 兴 (3a)
must be submitted for individual papers. To extend the closing date by
one month, a written request must be filed with the ASCE Managing and
Editor. The manuscript for this paper was submitted for review and pos-
sible publication on July 11, 2001; approved on January 14, 2002. This ␣ 2 ⫽ 关 1.4f ly / f lx ⫺0.6共 f ly / f lx 兲 2 ⫺0.8冑 f lx / f ⬘c ⫹1 兴 (3b)
paper is part of the Journal of Composites for Construction, Vol. 6, No.
3, August 1, 2002. ©ASCE, ISSN 1090-0268/2002/3- where f lx ⬎ f ly .
175–183/$8.00⫹$.50 per page.

JOURNAL OF COMPOSITES FOR CONSTRUCTION / AUGUST 2002 / 175

J. Compos. Constr., 2002, 6(3): 175-183

 American Concrete Institute Committee 440 (ACI 2002)
The ACI Committee 440 recommends that the axial compression
capacity of a nonslender member confined with transverse fiber
sheets be calculated as
␾ P n ⫽␭␾ 关 0.85⌿ f f ⬘cc 共 A g ⫺A st 兲 ⫹ f y A st 兴 (4)
where A g ⫽gross cross-sectional area; A st and f y ⫽total area and
yield strength of longitudinal steel reinforcement, respectively;
␾⫽strength reduction factor; ␭⫽coefficient to cater to minimum
Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by Addis Ababa Science and Technology University on 10/30/19. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved.

eccentricity requirement of ACI 318 共ACI 1999兲; and ␺ f

⫽additional reduction factor, given as equal to 0.95.
ACI 440 共ACI 2002兲 recommends the use of Eq. 共3兲 for cir-
cular sections only, for which f ⬘cc is given by Eq. 共1兲 with
f l ⫽␳ f ␧ f e E f (5)
and
␳ f ⫽4t f /D (6)
where ␧ f e ⫽0.004⭐0.75␧ f u ; t f , E f , and ␧ f u ⫽thickness, Young’s
modulus, and rupture strain of the fiber sheets, respectively; and
D⫽diameter of the column. It does not provide any recommen-
Fig. 1. Assumed confinement effect due to transverse fibers: 共a兲
dations on square and rectangular members, nor does it recom-
model 1; 共b兲 model 2
mend the contribution of longitudinally aligned fibers to the axial
compression capacity of members.

International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO)
(1997)
For circular sections, the enhanced compressive strength due to
transverse fibers is given by Eq. 共1兲, where
f l ⫽0.26␳ f f f u sin2 ␪
where ␳ f is as defined earlier by Eq. 共6兲; f f u ⫽␧ f u E f ; and ␪
⫽angle of inclination of the fibers to the longitudinal axis of the
member 共⬎75°兲.
For rectangular sections with an aspect ratio (h/b) less than
1.5, the enhanced compressive strength is
f ⬘cc ⫽ f ⬘c 共 1⫹5␳ f cos2 ␪ 兲
where
共 b⫹h 兲
␳ f ⫽2t f
bh
and ␪⭐45°.
The axial load capacity enhancement due to longitudinal fibers
is
⌬ P⫽A f cos2 ␪ f f
where A f ⫽cross-sectional area of the fiber sheets perpendicular
to the longitudinal axis; and f f ⫽0.002E f cos2 ␪⭐0.75f f u . A
higher fiber strain may be used if the section is effectively con-
fined. The ICBO acceptance criterion recommends that the axial
compression capacity enhancement in rectangular sections with
an aspect ratio greater than 1.5 be subject to a special analysis
confirmed by test results.
Proposed Evaluation Method
A simplified approach for the calculation of the enhancement in
axial load capacity using the FRP system, for a rectangular rein-
forced concrete column, measuring b⫻h in cross-sectional di-
mensions, where b⬍h, is presented herein. The concrete cube
compressive strength is f cu , and the steel reinforcement ratio is
␳ s , with the yield strength of the steel reinforcement equal to f y .
The strengthening system comprises unidirectional fiber sheets
wrapped in the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction.
The fiber sheets have a modulus of elasticity E f , and tensile
(7) strength f f u .
Original Axial Load Capacity of Column
A rigorous approach would entail the consideration of the con-
finement effect of transverse steel links; however, this is implic-
itly accounted for in the following formula for the axial load
capacity of the reinforced concrete column with nominal trans-
(8) verse links:
N⫽0.67f cu bh⫹A s f y 关 BS 8110 共 British 1997兲兴
(11a)
(9) or
N⫽0.85f c⬘ bh⫹A s f y 关 ACI 318 共 ACI 1999兲兴 (11b)
where A s ⫽total area of longitudinal reinforcement. Eqs. 共11a兲
and 共11b兲 are numerically identical when f ⬘c ⫽0.8f cu .
(10)
Axial Load Capacity of Strengthened Column
The transverse fiber sheets contribute to the strength enhancement
by confining the concrete, leading to a higher compressive
strength of the concrete. The longitudinal fiber sheets contribute
by resisting compression directly; however, this would be pos-
sible only if they are adequately restrained from outward buckling
by transverse fiber sheets.
The confinement effect of the transverse fiber sheets is illus-
trated in Fig. 1. In model 1, it is assumed that the internal links
provide additional anchor points and help in restraining the con-
crete from bulging out, resulting in the confinement effect as
shown in Fig. 1共a兲. This model would therefore give an upper-
bound value for the strength enhancement due to the transverse
fiber sheets. In model 2, it is assumed that only the corners of the
columns act as anchor points, leading to lesser confinement of the

176 / JOURNAL OF COMPOSITES FOR CONSTRUCTION / AUGUST 2002

J. Compos. Constr., 2002, 6(3): 175-183

 Table 1. Test Columns and Observed Load Capacity
A f lE f l A f tE f t f cu Pu
Series Column Fiber type Longitudinal layera 共kN兲 共kN/m兲 共MPa兲 共kN兲 Remarksb
P P00-1 Nil — — — 12.7 954 Ref
P00-2 — — — 12.9 1,184 —
P02G-u Glass 2-pc — 50c 13.7 1,096 UB
P02G 2-pc — 50c 14.6 1,267 —
P04G-1 4-pc — 100c 14.9 1,115 —
P04G-2 4-pc — 100c 14.9 1,080 —
Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by Addis Ababa Science and Technology University on 10/30/19. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved.

K K00-1 Nil — — — 20.3 1,262 Ref

K00-2 — — — 21.1 1,375 —
K02G Glass Hex-100G — 28.0 52.3 28.2 1,754 —
K11G Box 28.0 26.2 31.5 1,654 —
K12G Box 28.0 52.3 27.8 1,835 —
K02GP — — 52.3 31.3 ⬎1,972 P
K11GP Box 31.1 26.2 31.2 1,906 P
K12GP Box 31.1 52.3 32.5 1,894 P
H H00-1 Nil — — — 14.8 1,010 Ref
H00-2 — — — 16.4 1,071 —
H03G-1 Glass Hex-100G — — 78.4 14.6 1,205 —
H03G-2 — — 78.4 16.2 1,270 —
H22G-1 C 27.7 52.3 15.4 1,270 —
H22G-2 C 27.7 52.3 15.2 1,062 Bent
H23G-1 C 27.7 78.4 14.4 1,260 —
H23G-2 C 27.7 78.4 15.8 1,315 —
M M00 Nil — — — 22.3 1,430 Ref
M01C Carbon CF130 — — 38.0 26.0 1,636 —
M11C U 31.5 38.0 18.8 1,450 —
M02CP — — 76.0 23.3 1,856 —
M12G Glass EG900 U 21.2 51.1 25.2 1,664 —
M22G U 42.4 51.1 18.8 1,841 —
M13G U 21.2 76.7 24.4 1,565 —
M23G C 27.1 76.7 24.0 1,783 —
M21GP C 27.1 25.6 23.5 1,670 P
M22GP U 42.4 51.1 23.7 1,702 P
M22GPA U 42.4 51.1 24.4 1,788 P/A
M23GP C 27.1 76.7 24.4 1,869 P
M12CG CF130 and EG900 C 31.5 51.1 25.8 1,653 —
M12CGP C 31.5 51.1 22.8 1,892 P
S S00 Nil — — — 16.4 1,222 Ref
S12C Carbon NR72 C 13.4 50.6 25.4 1,579 —
S13C C 13.4 75.9 27.8 1,586 —
S02C Carbon NR73 — — 76.8 17.5 1,372 —
S21C-1 C 40.7 38.4 21.9 1,385 —
S21C-2 C 40.7 38.4 21.3 1,500 —
S31C-3 C 40.7 38.4 22.6 1,507 —
S23G L900-E10 C 8.2 23.3 22.4 1,979 —
N N00 Nil — — — 25.6 1,566 Ref
N02G Glass Hex-100G — — 52.3 25.9 1,624 —
N02GA — — 52.3 34.1 1,532 A
N11GA U 28.0 26.2 34.7 1,686 A
U U00 Nil — — — 22.9 1,149 Ref
U11C Carbon CF130 U 31.5 38.0 20.3 1,297 —
U12C U 31.5 76.0 31.6 1,608 —
U12C-I I 19.0 76.0 28.3 1,385 —
a
U (leg-length⫽150 mm); C (leg-length⫽75 mm); and I (length⫽250 mm).
b
Ref⫽reference, UB⫽unbonded, P⫽plastered, and A⫽anchor.
c
Estimated.

JOURNAL OF COMPOSITES FOR CONSTRUCTION / AUGUST 2002 / 177

J. Compos. Constr., 2002, 6(3): 175-183


Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by Addis Ababa Science and Technology University on 10/30/19. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved.
Fig. 2. Dimensions and reinforcement details
column, as illustrated in Fig. 1共b兲. Model 2 gives a lower-bound
value to the strength enhancement due to the transverse fiber
sheets.
Following the propsal by Mander et al. 共1988兲, the effective-
ness confinement coefficient, defined as the effectively confined
concrete area divided by the concrete core area, is
k e ⫽1⫺⌺ 共 w 2jx ⫹w 2jy 兲 / 关 6 共 1⫺␳ s 兲 bh 兴
where w ix and w iy ⫽distance between adjacent anchor points
共formed by corners and intersection points of transverse links兲 in
the short and long directions of the column cross section, respec-
tively. For the confinement effect shown in Fig. 1共a兲, w ix ⫽(h
⫺2r)/3, while for that shown in Fig. 1共b兲, w ix ⫽h⫺2r, where r
is the corner radius. In both cases, w iy ⫽b⫺2r.
The lateral confining stresses induced in the x- 共long兲 and y-
共short兲 directions due to the transverse fibers are, respectively
f lx ⫽2 共 2t p /b 兲 k e f t f
and
f ly ⫽2 共 2t p /h 兲 k e f t f
Fig. 3. Fiber configuration 共seen on plan兲: 共a兲 transverse ply; 共b兲
U-shaped longitudinal ply; 共c兲 C-shaped longitudinal ply; 共d兲
I-shaped longitudinal ply
178 / JOURNAL OF COMPOSITES FOR CONSTRUCTION / AUGUST 2002
J. Compos. Constr., 2002, 6(3): 175-183
where t p ⫽thickness of, and f t f ⫽stress in the transverse fiber
sheets at peak load of the column, equal to E f ␧ t f , where ␧ t f
⫽transverse strain.
The concrete strength enhancement factor ␣ 1 ␣ 2 is obtained
from Eqs. 共3a兲 and 共3b兲, and the enhanced axial load capacity of
the strengthened column is, assuming f ⬘c ⫽0.8f cu
N e ⫽0.67␣ 1 ␣ 2 f cu bh⫹A f l f l f ⫹A s f y (14a)
or
N e ⫽0.85␣ 1 ␣ 2 f ⬘c bh⫹A f l f l f ⫹A s f y (14b)
where A f l ⫽total cross-sectional area of, and f l f ⫽stress in the
longitudinal fiber sheets, given as E f ␧ l f , where ␧ l f
⫽longitudinal strain at peak load.
Experimental Investigation
A total of 52 identical rectangular reinforced concrete columns
were fabricated to half the scale of prototype columns, in seven
series, as shown in Table 1. As shown in Fig. 2, each column had
a cross-sectional dimension measuring 115 by 420 mm, with an
aspect ratio of about 3.65. All columns measured 1.5 m in height,
except those in series N and U, which measured 1.2 m. Longitu-
dinal reinforcement comprised eight 13-mm diameter, high-yield
deformed bars 共designated T13兲, with a total area of 1,062 mm2.
The longitudinal steel ratio was thus 2.2%. Transverse reinforce-
ment consisted of mild steel links of 6-mm diameter 共designated
R6兲, at a spacing of 100 mm for the middle 600-mm length and at
65 mm for the remaining lengths of the column. The reinforce-
ment was placed with a clear concrete cover of 15 mm.
(12) Ten columns, designated X00, where X denotes the series,
served as reference and were tested without any strengthening.
The remaining 42 columns were strengthened with unidirectional
fiber sheets in various configurations, consisting typically of lon-
gitudinal fiber sheets 共that is, placed with fibers parallel to the
column axis兲 and transverse fiber sheets 共that is, placed with fi-
bers perpendicular to the column axis兲.
The strengthened columns were designated Xabc(P)(A),
where a and b refer to the number of plies of the longitudinal fiber
sheets and horizontal fiber sheets, respectively; c indicates the
(13a) type of fiber sheets 共G for glass and C for carbon兲; and P and A
indicate the presence of plaster finishes and the row of fiber an-
chor bolts along the middle of the wider faces of the column,
(13b) respectively. The suffix -u indicates that the fiber sheets were
unbonded to the concrete column, which applies to only one col-
umn, P02G-u. Also, all longitudinal fiber sheets were box shaped
共that is, installed all around the perimeter of the column section兲,
U shaped with a leg length of 150 mm, or C shaped with a leg
length of 75 mm, in cross section, except for U12C-I, which had
I-shaped 共plane兲 longitudinal fiber sheets bonded on both of the
long faces of the column 共Fig. 3兲. The suffixes -1, -2, and -3 refer
to the specimen number for the same fiber type and configuration.
Table 2 shows the parameters investigated in terms of the number
of plies of the longitudinal and transverse fiber sheets.
Material Properties
Ordinary portland cement, sand and aggregates of a nominal size
of 20 mm, was used to make the concrete. The target 28th day
strength was 15 MPa for series P and H, 20 MPa for series M and
S, and 25 MPa for series K, N, and U. The actual concrete com-
pressive strength based on at least three 100 mm cubes at the time
of testing the column is shown in Table 1.
 Table 2. Parameters Investigated
Unplastered Plastered
Number of Plies of Longitudinal Sheets
Fiber type Number of plies of transverse sheets 0 1 2 0 1 2
Glass 共G兲 fiber 1 — K11G — — K11GP M21GP
— N11GA — —
2 P02G K12G H22G-1, 2 K02GP K12GP M22GP
P02G-u M12G M22G M22GPA
Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by Addis Ababa Science and Technology University on 10/30/19. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved.

K02G
N02G
N02GA
3 H03G-1,2 M13G H23G-1,2 — — M23GP
M23G — —
S23G — —
4 P04G-1,2 — — — — —
Carbon 共C兲 fiber 1 M01C M11C S21C-1,2,3 — — —
U11C — — —
2 S02C S12C — M02CP — —
U12C — — —
U12C-I — — —
3 — S13C — — — —
C and G 2 — M12CG — — M12CGP —

High-yield deformed bars were used as internal longitudinal for two days. The columns were then left in the laboratory under
reinforcement for the columns, while mild steel bars served as ambient conditions for at least three weeks.
transverse links. The physical and mechanical properties of the For the columns to be strengthened, the four corners were first
reinforcement are shown in Table 3. chamfered to a radius of about 30 mm. The surfaces of these
For series P, the FRP system consisted of preformed shells, in columns were ground mechanically to remove any laitance. All
two or four pieces. For the other series, the FRP system consisted voids were filled with putty. The primer was applied where appli-
of fiber sheets installed using a wet layout operation. The proper- cable, followed by the saturation and laying of the fiber sheets
ties of the FRP systems are shown in Table 4. using the resin. For series P specimens, the shells were performed
using the columns as the formwork. The shells were bonded to the
Fabrication of Columns columns using the epoxy resin, such that each piece overlapped
the adjacent piece by 50 mm on a ply-by-ply basis. For the other
The reinforcement cage was first tied, and end steel plates of 10
series, the horizontal fiber sheets had an overlap of 100 mm at the
mm in thickness were welded to the ends of the longitudinal
ends. No overlap was provided in the direction perpendicular to
reinforcement. Care was taken to ensure that the end plates were
the fiber direction.
perpendicular to the axis of the column. The reinforcement cage
The longitudinal fiber sheets were bonded first, before the
was instrumented with strain gauges at the midheight region, and
transverse fiber sheets were added. In series M and S, the shallow
then placed in wooden molds.
Concrete was cast and compacted using a vibrator. The speci- recess arising from the installation of the U- or C-shaped longi-
mens were demolded on the next day, and subjected to moist tudinal fiber sheets was filled with putty to give a flat surface
curing by water spraying and covering with damp hessian bags before the transverse fiber sheets were added. Pressure was ap-
plied normally to the fiber sheets using a roller brush to remove
air pockets from beneath the fiber sheets. An additional transverse
Table 3. Properties of Reinforcement fiber sheet was added to the 300 or 400 mm end sections of the
specimens to ensure failure at the middle 600 or 700 mm section,
Bar designation
for series N and U, and the remaining series, respectively.
Parameter T13 R6 After about one week, the columns were tested under a con-
Nominal diameter 共mm兲 13 6 centric axial load to failure. Instrumentation of the columns in-
Nominal cross-sectional area 共mm2兲 132.7 28.3 cluded measurement of strains in the internal steel reinforcement,
Yield strength 共MPa兲a 505 共Series K兲 325 共Series K兲 fiber sheets, and concrete surfaces. After the glass FRP system
473 共Series H兲 602 共Series H兲 had cured, typically within a week, strain gauges were mounted
495 共Series M,S兲 365 共Series M,S兲 on the surface of the fiber sheets to monitor both the longitudinal
467 共Series N,U兲 359 共Series N,U兲 and the transverse strains.
Young’s modulus 共GPa兲b 174 共Series K兲 194 共Series K兲
165 共Series H兲 189 共Series H兲
Test Setup and Procedure
166 共Series M,S兲 211 共Series M, S兲
a
Values for series P are not available. Each column was tested under uniaxial compression using a test-
b
Values for series P, N, and U are not available. ing machine. The loads were applied in small increments under

JOURNAL OF COMPOSITES FOR CONSTRUCTION / AUGUST 2002 / 179

J. Compos. Constr., 2002, 6(3): 175-183

 Table 4. Properties of Fiber Sheets
Carbon fiber Glass fiber
Parameter CF130 NR72 NR73 EG900 Hex-100Ga L900-E10
Fiber areal weight 共g/m 兲 2
300 200 300 915 915 916
Design thickness 共mm/ply兲 0.165 0.11 0.167 0.353 1.0 0.77
Ultimate tensile strength 共MPa兲 4,275 3,460 3,460 1,730 600 463
Design tensile strength 共MPa兲 3,790 — — 1,517 — —
Tensile modulus 共GPa兲 228 230 230 72.4 26.1 10.1
Ultimate tensile elongation 共%兲
Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by Addis Ababa Science and Technology University on 10/30/19. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved.

1.5 1.5 1.5 2.0 2.24 4.6

a
Based on laminated properties.

displacement control. During the test, strains in the internal lon-
gitudinal and transverse steel reinforcements were monitored at
midheight, together with the vertical and horizontal strains in the
fiber sheets and concrete surfaces at the same elevation. The
strains were recorded at 5 kN intervals. Vertical deformation and
lateral movement were also measured. Visual observation was
made throughout the test. Each test took about 2.5 h, on average,
to complete.
Test Results and Discussion
General Behavior of Columns
The typical appearance of the columns at failure is shown in Fig.
4. For the unstrengthened columns, illustrated by M00, the cover
concrete was observed to spall off, as the ultimate load was ap-
proached. Several transverse cracks were observed in some col-
umns. The unstrengthened columns finally failed by crushing of
concrete.
For the strengthened columns, the fiber sheets delaminated
from the wider faces of the columns, at between 60 and 90% of
the ultimate load, depending on the skill in installation. The
delamination process was evident through a cracking sound and
via tapping on the sheets. For the unplastered columns, delami-
nation of the fiber sheet was observed in local pockets, whereas
for the plastered columns, delamination occurred almost through-
out the length of the column.
Columns N02G, S13C, and H32G demonstrate the case of
sheet delamination in unplastered columns. The delaminated areas
were localized and approximately elliptical in shape, stretching
across the broader faces for columns with horizontal fiber sheets
only 共as in N02G兲. The fiber sheets appeared to have been
squeezed out horizontally. As the longitudinal sheets were intro-
duced, the delaminated areas became more circular in shape 共as in
H32G兲. The same applied to columns bonded with glass or carbon
fiber sheets. However, there appeared to be less delamination in
the case of carbon fiber sheets than for glass fiber sheets.
For the plastered columns, the delamination was rather wide-
spread, extending almost throughout the whole height of the col-
umn on the wider faces, as shown for the case of M23GP in Fig.
4. The use of fiber anchors helped in preventing or minimizing the
sheet delamination, as in the case of M22GPA, where delamina-
tion occurred mostly outside the test zone.

Load-Deformation Characteristics
The load-deformation curves for the columns are compared in
Fig. 5. The axial deformation was an average value obtained from
two displacement transducers, placed adjacent to the wider faces,
over a 200 mm gauge length at the midheight of the column.

Effect of Plaster Finishes. Figs. 5共a–d兲 compare the load-

deformation characteristics of typical plastered and unplastered
columns bonded respectively with glass and/or carbon fiber sheets
with those of an unstrengthened column. All of the strengthened
unplastered columns exhibited stiffness similar to that of the un-
strengthened columns initially, indicating that the contribution of
the fiber sheets to the column stiffness at low loads was not sig-
nificant. However, the strengthened unplastered columns devel-
oped greater stiffness at higher loads, leading to higher ultimate
loads. They exhibited good ductility at failure.
The plastered columns possessed higher stiffness than the un-
strengthened columns from the beginning, and eventually carried
higher ultimate loads. However, they generally exhibited lower
Fig. 4. Typical appearance of columns after failure
ductility at failure than unplastered columns for the same fiber

180 / JOURNAL OF COMPOSITES FOR CONSTRUCTION / AUGUST 2002

J. Compos. Constr., 2002, 6(3): 175-183

Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by Addis Ababa Science and Technology University on 10/30/19. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved.

Fig. 5. Typical load-deformation characteristics: 共a兲 columns with carbon fiber sheets; 共b兲 unplastered columns with glass fiber sheets; 共c兲
plastered columns with glass fiber sheets; 共d兲 columns with longitudinal carbon fiber sheets and transverse glass fiber sheets; 共e兲 effect of fiber
anchors

configuration, probably due to spalling off of the plaster finishes
at high loads.
Effect of Longitudinal and Transverse Fiber Sheets. Comparing
M12G with M22G and M13G with M23G in Fig. 5共b兲, it is seen
that increasing the amount of longitudinal fiber sheets leads to
higher strength and ductility. However, comparing M12G with
M13G and M22G with M23G, it is deduced that increasing the
transverse fiber sheets leads to an increase in ductility only. Lon-
gitudinal fiber sheets are effective only when confined by trans-
verse fiber sheets.
Fig. 5共c兲 illustrates the effect of increasing the number of
transverse fiber sheets in the plastered columns. It is interesting to
note that, contrary to previous observations, the plastered col-
umns, that is, M21GP and MC23GP, exhibited good ductility at
failure. This could only be attributed to good plastering work,
such that the mortar finishes remained intact, thereby leading to a
better confinement effect of the transverse fiber sheets.
Also, as opposed to the unplastered columns in Fig. 5共b兲, an
increase in the number of transverse fiber sheets appeared to re-
sult in an increase in ultimate load. This could also be partially
due to an increase in the effectiveness of the longitudinal fiber
sheets in resisting the axial load as the number of transverse fiber
sheets is increased.
Effect of Fiber Anchors. Fig. 5共e兲 illustrates the effect of anchor-
ing the fiber sheets along the wider faces of the column. In gen-
eral, the anchors improve the confinement effect of the transverse

JOURNAL OF COMPOSITES FOR CONSTRUCTION / AUGUST 2002 / 181

J. Compos. Constr., 2002, 6(3): 175-183

Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by Addis Ababa Science and Technology University on 10/30/19. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved.

Fig. 7. Axial load capacity of unstrengthened columns

of testing in Fig. 7. The test data generally show a linear trend

with increasing concrete strength, while Eq. 共11a兲, with A s
⫽0.022bh and f y ⫽460 MPa, gives a lower bound to the test
results.

Effect of Longitudinal Fiber Sheets

Fig. 6. Observed strains in fiber sheets: 共a兲 longitudinal strains; 共b兲
transverse strains
Fig. 8共a兲 compares the axial load capacities of columns bonded
with different amounts of longitudinal fiber sheets, quantified by
the axial rigidity A f l E f for unplastered columns bonded with two
plies 共U-2T兲 and three plies 共U-3T兲 of transverse fiber sheets, and
plastered columns with two plies 共P-2T兲 of transverse fiber sheets.
Excluding the sole column bonded with L900-E10 glass fiber
sheets, that is, S23G, which exhibited an exceptionally high axial

fiber sheets, which also improves the efficiency of the longitudi-

nal fiber sheets, by restraining them from buckling laterally.

Strains at Failure
For the columns tested, the internal longitudinal steel bars sus-
tained strains that exceeded the yield strain at peak load, indicat-
ing that all longitudinal steel bars yielded at failure. To predict the
axial load capacity of the strengthened columns using the analyti-
cal approach described earlier 关that is, Eq. 共14兲兴, the strains in the
external FRP system in the longitudinal and transverse directions
need to be specified.
Fig. 6 summarizes the observed average strains in the fiber
sheets in the longitudinal and transverse directions, at ultimate
load. The strains were recorded at midheight of the column. The
longitudinal strains were generally lower than those observed in
the internal longitudinal steel bars, with average values of about
0.3% for all unplastered columns 共efl-u兲 and 0.15% for all plas-
tered columns 共efl-p兲. The transverse strains were comparable to
those in the internal transverse links, with average values of about
0.15% for unplastered columns 共eft-u兲 and 0.10% for plastered
columns 共eft-p兲. From the above observations, it is deduced that
the assumption of the longitudinal and transverse strains in the
external FRP system of 0.2 and 0.1%, respectively, is reasonable
for the purpose of strength evaluation of the column.

Axial Load Capacity

Fig. 8. Effect of fiber sheets on axial load capacity: 共a兲 effect of
The axial load capacities of the unstrengthened columns are plot-
longitudinal fiber sheets; 共b兲 effect of transverse fiber sheets
ted against the cube compressive strength of concrete at the time

182 / JOURNAL OF COMPOSITES FOR CONSTRUCTION / AUGUST 2002

J. Compos. Constr., 2002, 6(3): 175-183

 load capacity given its axial rigidity, it is seen that an increase in
A f l E f leads to an increase in the axial load capacity of the col-
umn. The increase appears to be more significant with values of
A f l E f more than 20 MN 共about equivalent to one ply of a longi-
tudinal fiber sheet兲 and with more plies of transverse fiber sheets
共that is, more significant in U-3T than in U-2T兲. This indicates
that the longitudinal fiber sheets are more effective only when
they are sufficiently confined by the transverse fiber sheets.
The predictions assuming a value of A f t E f for the transverse
fiber sheets equal to 25 MN/m are shown in Fig. 8共a兲 for the
Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by Addis Ababa Science and Technology University on 10/30/19. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved.
purpose of comparison. All test data, except for N02GA and
U12C-I, exceed the lower-bound values, with the majority of
them also exceeding the predicted upper-bound values. Column
N02GA had an unusually high concrete strength of 34.1 MPa,
resulting in the adjusted axial load capacity becoming very low.
Column U12C-I had longitudinal fiber sheets in plane form 共I
shaped兲 on the wider faces, and these seemed to be ineffective
compared to the U- or C-shaped longitudinal fiber sheets in other
columns.
From the comparison in Fig. 8共a兲, it is deduced that the as-
sumed longitudinal strain of 0.2% generally leads to a conserva-
tive prediction of the contribution of the longitudinal fiber sheets
to the axial load capacity. The longitudinal strain appears to in-
crease with the axial rigidity of the longitudinal fiber sheets.
Effect of Transverse Fiber Sheets
Fig. 8共b兲 illustrates the effect of transverse fiber sheets. The axial
load capacities for unplastered columns with zero 共U-0L兲, one
共U-1L兲, and two 共U-2L兲 plies of longitudinal fiber sheets, and
plastered columns with two plies 共P-2L兲 of longitudinal fiber
sheets are plotted against the amount of transverse fiber sheets,
quantified by A f t E f . For columns without longitudinal sheets 共U-
0L兲, the increase in axial load capacity seems to be independent
of the amount of transverse fiber sheets. For columns with one ply
of longitudinal sheets 共U-1L兲, the increase is up to a value of
A f t E f of between 50 and 75 MN/m, after which the strengthening
effect appears to decrease. For columns with two plies of longi-
tudinal sheets 共U-2L and P-2L兲, the axial load capacity increases
with A f t E f . The above observations indicated that there exists an
interaction between the values of A f l E f and A f t E f , such that an
equitable amount of longitudinal and transverse fiber sheets is
desirable to optimize the strengthening effect.
The predicted lower and upper bounds for the axial load ca-
pacity of the strengthened columns, assuming a value of A f l E f of
25 kN/m, are shown in Fig. 8共b兲. The test data are all above the
lower-bound value, except for N02GA, which failed with delami-
nation in between the fiber bolts, and U12C-I, for the reason
stated earlier. Most of the test data also fall above the upper-
bound predictions.
Conclusions
A total of 52 columns, measuring 115 by 420 mm in the cross-
sectional dimension with an aspect ratio of 3.65, were tested to
failure to examine the use of fiber sheets in the strengthening of
reinforced concrete rectangular columns. The deformation char-
acteristics, including strains in the external fiber reinforcement
JOURNAL OF COMPOSITES FOR CONSTRUCTION / AUGUST 2002 / 183
J. Compos. Constr., 2002, 6(3): 175-183
system, ultimate load, and failure characteristics of the columns,
were closely monitored. The effect of fiber type and configura-
tion, and the presence of plaster finishes on the column response
were further examined. The increase in the axial load capacity of
the columns was evaluated using a simple analytical approach.
From the work carried out in the study, it is confirmed that
1. Transverse fiber sheets led to an increase in the axial load
capacity of the column by confining the concrete;
2. Longitudinal fiber sheets also enhance the axial load capac-
ity, if adequately confined by outer transverse fiber sheets;
3. The plaster finishes resulted in poor ductility of the column
in general, as they are likely to become detached from the
original concrete section at ultimate load;
4. Delamination of the fiber sheets is more likely to occur in the
case of glass fiber fabric than for carbon fiber sheets for the
systems investigated in the study. Delamination is likely to
occur throughout the length of the column if it is plastered,
and in local patches otherwise;
5. Anchoring the transverse fiber sheets along the wider faces
of the column led to better confinement of the concrete and
longitudinal fiber sheets, thereby leading to a higher axial
load capacity; and
6. The axial load capacity of the strengthened column can be
conservatively evaluated by assuming a longitudinal strain of
0.2% and a transverse strain of 0.1% in the fiber sheets,
using the proposed approach.
The study was limited to columns with cross sections having
an aspect ratio of 3.65, usually a large value. Further work is
recommended for columns with similar section aspect ratios be-
tween 2 and 4. There is also the necessity to reconfirm the effects
of plaster finishes and fiber anchors, and to refine the analytical
model for the evaluation of the axial load capacity.
Acknowledgment
The writer acknowledges the support of Research Grant No.
RP 981608 in carrying out part of the study reported herein.
References
American Concrete Institute 共ACI兲 Committee 318. 共1999兲. ‘‘Building
code requirements for structural concrete and commentary.’’ Detroit.
American Concrete Institute 共ACI兲 Committee 440. 共2002兲. Guide for the
design and construction of externally bonded FRP systems for
strengthening concrete structures, Detroit, in press.
British Standards Institution 共BSI兲. 共1997兲. ‘‘Structural use of concrete.
Part 1: Code of practice for design and construction.’’ BS8110, Lon-
don.
International Conference of Building Officials 共ICBO兲. 共1997兲. ‘‘Accep-
tance criteria for concrete and reinforced and unreinforced masonry
strengthening using fiber-reinforced composite systems.’’ AC125,
Whittier, Calif.
Mander, J. B., Priestley, M. J. N., and Park, R. 共1988兲. ‘‘Theoretical
stress-strain model for confined concrete.’’ J. Struct. Eng., 114共8兲,
1804 –1826.
Wang, Y. C., and Restrepo, J. I. 共2001兲. ‘‘Investigation of concentrically
loaded reinforced concrete columns confined with glass fiber-
reinforced polymer jackets.’’ ACI Struct. J., 98共3兲, 377–385.