Earthquake-resistant rehabilitation of existing RC structures using high-strength steel fiber-reinforced concrete jackets

The effectiveness of an innovative method for the earthquake-resistant rehabilitation of existing poorly detailed reinforced concrete (RC) structures is experimentally investigated herein. Eight column subassemblages were subjected to earthquake-type loading and their hysteretic behaviour was evaluated. Four of the specimens were identical and representative of columns found in RC structures designed in the 1950s-70s period for gravity load only. These original specimens were subjected to cyclic lateral deformations and developed brittle failure mechanisms. Three of the damaged specimens were subsequently retrofitted with innovative high-strength steel fiber-reinforced concrete (HSSFC) jackets. The main variables examined were the jacket width and the contribution of mesh steel reinforcement in the seismic performance of the enhanced columns. The influence of steel fiber volume fraction was also examined using test results of a previous work of Tsonos et al. (2017). The fourth earthquake damaged subassemblage was strengthened with a conventional RC jacket and was subjected to the same lateral displacement history as the other three retrofitted columns. The seismic behaviour of the subassemblages strengthened according to the proposed retrofit scheme was evaluated with respect to that of the original specimens and that of the column strengthened with the conventional RC jacket. Test results clearly demonstrated that the HSSFC jackets effectively prevented the development of shear failure mechanisms, while ensuring a ductile seismic response similar to that of the subassemblage retrofitted with the conventional RC jacket. Ultimately, an indisputable superiority in the overall seismic performance of the strengthened columns was achieved with respect to the original specimens.