STRUCTURAL PERFORMANCE OF DIFFERENT FIBERS IN FRP STRENGTHENING OF RC FRAME

Abstract

Existing capacity of a building is getting affected by many factors such as natural factors and manmade factors. Corrosion of bars, spalling of concrete and earthquake are some examples of natural factors and rapid growth in population is an example of manmade factor. Hence it is required to increase the existing capacity of old building so that they can perform with adequate safety and prevent it from sudden collapse. There are various method of retrofitting such as jacketing, addition of shear wall, wall thickening and FRP wrapping. In this study, different strengthening schemes are investigated using various combinations of FRP wrapping. FRP wrapping can be applied in many structural elements in the form of FRP laminated beams, FRP laminated columns, FRP laminated beams and columns both, throughout the members or only at beam-column joints. Choice of anyone of the above method depends upon importance of building that to be retrofitted and economy. In this study a simple RC frame model is taken and its load carrying capacity and corresponding maximum displacement are calculated by performing Pushover Analysis. The same model is now laminated with FRP with various combinations and its load carrying capacity and corresponding displacement is calculated using Pushover Analysis. FRPs are available in different types such as GFRP, CFRP, AFRP and BFRP and these have different properties. In this study strengthening with CFRP and GFRP is covered. Pushover analysis is performed and the results obtained are analyzed to make some important conclusions related to enhancement of strength and ductility using FRP wrapping with various combinations of GFRP and CFRP layers at different locations.