Experimental investigation of reinforced concrete columns retrofitted with polyester sheet

This paper experimentally investigates the seismic performance of RC columns retrofitted with Super Reinforcement with Flexibility (SRF), which is a polyester fiber reinforced polymer. A total of three specimens with a scale factor of 1/2 were constructed and tested in order to assess the structural behavior of the retrofitted RC columns. One specimen was a non-seismically designed column without any retrofit, while others were retrofitted with either one or two layers of the polyester belt with urethane as the adhesive. Static cyclic testing with a constant axial load was conducted to assess the seismic performance of the retrofitted RC columns. It is concluded that the SRF retrofitting method increases the strength and ductility of the RC columns and can also impact on the failure mode of the columns.