Mechanical Behavior of FRP-Strengthened Concrete

Columns Subjected to Concentric and Eccentric

Compression Loading
Xiaobin Song, M.ASCE 1; Xianglin Gu 2; Yupeng Li 3; Tao Chen 4; and Weiping Zhang 5
Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by New York University on 05/11/15. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved.

Abstract: This paper presents the results of a study on the mechanical behavior of concrete columns strengthened with fiber-reinforced
polymer (FRP) and subjected to concentric and eccentric compression loading. A numerical analysis model was developed based on the
effectively confined concrete area and the stress-strain relationship of the confined concrete established based on compression tests of circular
plain concrete columns. The model was verified against the test results of square concentrically loaded plain concrete columns and square
eccentrically loaded reinforced concrete columns. An analytical formula of the maximum compression load of square or rectangular fiber
reinforced polymer strengthened concrete columns, with respect to the same but nonstrengthened columns, was developed based on the
parametric study results by using the verified model. The analytical formula was further verified with the test results of 23 square and
rectangular fiber reinforced polymer strengthened columns reported in the literature. Good agreement was achieved. It was found that
the increase of the maximum compression load of FRP-strengthened concrete columns, with respect to the same but nonstrengthened
columns, increases linearly with the amount of FRP sheets used and decreases linearly with the load eccentricity and
exponentially with the concrete compression strength. The last observation implies that the FRP strengthening technique (through wrapping)
is most suitable for low-strength concrete buildings. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)CC.1943-5614.0000351. © 2013 American Society of Civil
Engineers.
CE Database subject headings: Concrete columns; Fiber reinforced materials; Eccentric loads; Compressive strength; Experimentation;
Numerical analysis; Compression; Mechanical properties.
Author keywords: Concrete column; FRP strengthening; Concentric compression load; Eccentric compression load; Effectively confined
concrete; Maximum compression load.

Introduction the proper strengthening of RC columns through the wrapping

Reinforced concrete (RC) columns may need to be strengthened
because of material deterioration and damages caused by accidental
overloading, such as earthquakes. Wrapping fiber-reinforced poly-
mer (FRP) sheets around the RC columns has been proven to be
effective in improving their strength and ductility because it can
provide confinement to the concrete core (Nanni and Bradford
1995). Understanding of the FRP-confining effectiveness and
the triaxial state of stresses in confined concrete is essential to
1
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Building Engineering, Tongji Univ., 1239
Siping Rd., Shanghai, China, 200092. E-mail: xiaobins@tongji.edu.cn
2 strength of FRP-strengthened square or rectangular columns, where
Professor, Dept. of Building Engineering, Tongji Univ., 1239 Siping
Rd., Shanghai, China, 200092 (corresponding author). E-mail: gxl@
tongji.edu.cn
3
Former Master’s Student, Dept. of Building Engineering, Tongji Univ.,
1239 Siping Rd., Shanghai, China, 200092. E-mail: jacklee0349@
163.com
4
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Building Engineering, Tongji Univ., 1239
Siping Rd., Shanghai, China, 200092. E-mail: t.chen@tongji.edu.cn
5
Professor, Dept. of Building Engineering, Tongji Univ., 1239 Siping
Rd., Shanghai, China, 200092. E-mail: weiping_zh@tongji.edu.cn
Note. This manuscript was submitted on July 9, 2012; approved on
December 7, 2012; published online on December 10, 2012. Discussion
period open until November 1, 2013; separate discussions must be
submitted for individual papers. This paper is part of the Journal of Com-
posites for Construction, Vol. 17, No. 3, June 1, 2013. © ASCE, ISSN
1090-0268/2013/3-336-346/$25.00.
of FRP sheets.
There have been continuous research efforts in the compression
strength of confined concrete since the 1980s, most of which have
been focused on circular concrete columns (Wu and Wang 2009).
The confining pressure of FRP wrapping for circular columns is
constant and can be determined based on the strength and thickness
of the FRP sheets and the diameter of the circular column cross
sections. The strength enhancement of FRP-confined concrete
can be then evaluated following the work conducted by Richart
et al. (1928) for concrete under active hydrostatic pressure. A de-
tailed summary of the existing models for circular FRP-confined
columns can be found in Wu and Wang’s work (2009).
There are far fewer studies in the literature on the compression
the confinement stress in the FRP sheets is nonuniformly distrib-
uted around the perimeter of the concrete cross section, i.e., high at
the corners and low near the midpoint of the flat sides. Only the
core area (the interior part) of the concrete cross section is effec-
tively confined. The confinement stress is believed to be related
to the corner radius and the aspect ratio (width-to-height ratio)
of the concrete cross section. Most existing models of the compres-
sion strength of confined concrete of square or rectangular cross
sections are similar to circular cross sections but with the addition
of a shape factor to account for the effect of nonuniform con-
finement, as summarized by Lam and Teng (2003) and Wu and
Wang (2009).
The numerical analysis of FRP-strengthened concrete columns
in structural sizes often requires a full description of the mechanical

336 / JOURNAL OF COMPOSITES FOR CONSTRUCTION © ASCE / MAY/JUNE 2013

J. Compos. Constr. 2013.17:336-346.

 behavior of confined concrete, i.e., the stress-strain relationship.
Many models (Mander et al. 1988; Samaan et al. 1998; Lam
and Teng 2003; Campione and Miraglia 2003; Turgay et al.
2010) have been developed, most of which are based on pre-
scribed mathematical models and/or experimental results of short
confined concrete columns. However, it has been shown that the
existing strength models (thus, the stress-strain relationship) of
confined concrete can exhibit significant errors when applying
to test data from various sources (Wu and Wang 2009; Lam and
Teng 2003; Luca et al. 2011).
Incorporation of the stress-strain relationship of confined
concrete into the numerical analysis of concrete columns can also
be difficult, especially for square or rectangular cross sections, be-
cause of the complicated distribution of FRP-confining stress
Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by New York University on 05/11/15. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved.
and the resulting effective confinement. Existing models (Doran
et al. 2009; Debaiky et al. 2007; Wang and Restrepo 2001) were
developed based on the effectively confined concrete stress-strain
relationship and an adjustment factor evaluated based on the
FRP-confining stress. Debaiky et al. (2007) assumed uniform
radial expansion of circular columns for evaluation of FRP-
confining stress; therefore, their work is limited to circular col-
umns. Doran et al. (2009) assumed a constant FRP-confining stress
based on the ultimate transverse strain of FRP sheets at rupture,
and Wang and Restrepo (2001) determined the FRP-confining
stress based on the concrete transverse dilation, which was calcu-
lated based on the concrete axial strain and a constant Poisson’s
ratio of 0.5.
Research efforts have also been made on the modeling of con-
crete and FRP sheets individually, thereby avoiding the necessity
for the determination of the stress-strain relationship of confined
concrete (Montoya et al. 2004; Parvin and Wang 2001). In these
studies, the concrete was modeled based on an unconfined stress-
strain relationship, and the interaction (bonding) between concrete
and FRP sheets was modeled by the compression field method
(Montoya et al. 2004) or contact elements (Parvin and Wang 2001).
The major difficulty and thus, limitation of these models lies in the
determination of the actual bonding behavior between FRP sheets
and concrete.
Moreover, the previous research has been mostly focused on
concentrically loaded concrete columns, whereas the mechanical
behavior of eccentrically loaded concrete columns, which are more
commonly encountered in engineering practice, have not been fully
addressed (Parvin and Wang 2001; Li and Hadi 2003; Hadi
2006, 2007; Maaddawy 2009; Maaddawy et al. 2010; Taranu et al.
2011; Hadi and Widiarsa 2012). The FRP-confining stress of ec-
centrically loaded columns can be more nonuniformly distributed
because of the complexity of concrete dilation. Consequently, the
effectively confined concrete area may vary significantly and
depend on the load eccentricity.
This paper presents the results of a study on the mechanical
behavior of FRP-strengthened concrete columns subjected to con-
centric and eccentric compression loading. A numerical analysis
model was developed based on the effectively confined concrete
area and the stress-strain relationship of confined concrete estab-
lished based on compression tests of circular plain concrete col-
umns. The model was verified against the test results of square
concentrically loaded plain concrete columns and square eccentri-
cally loaded RC columns. An analytical formula of the increase of
the maximum compression load of FRP-strengthened concrete col-
umns, with respect to the same, non-strengthened columns, was
developed based on the parametric study results using the verified
model. The analytical formula was further verified with the test
results of 23 square and rectangular FRP-strengthened columns
reported in the literature.
JOURNAL OF COMPOSITES FOR CONSTRUCTION © ASCE / MAY/JUNE 2013 / 337
J. Compos. Constr. 2013.17:336-346.
Methodology and Research Significance
This study was aimed at developing a numerical analysis model and
an analytical formula for the maximum compression load of both
concentrically and eccentrically loaded FRP-strengthened concrete
columns. Circular FRP-strengthened plain concrete columns were
tested to establish the stress-strain relationship of confined con-
crete, which was then used as input data for the numerical analysis
model.
Square FRP-strengthened plain and RC columns were tested
under concentric and eccentric loading, respectively, to verify the
developed model. A parametric study was then conducted by using
the verified model to identify the influence of the load eccentricity,
FRP-strengthening ratio, and concrete compression strength, based
on which an analytical formula of the maximum compression load
of square and rectangular FRP-strengthened concrete columns was
developed. Test results in literature were used to further verify the
proposed formula.
Concrete columns in real buildings are commonly subjected to
eccentric loading, i.e., combined axial load and bending moments.
However, not much work has been reported in the literature on this
subject. The obtained test results and developed numerical analysis
model can enhance the understanding of the failure mechanism and
bearing capacity of FRP-strengthened concrete columns. The pro-
posed analytical formula was found to be accurate and can be used
for the quick determination of the maximum compression load of
FRP-strengthened concrete columns.
Experimental Study
Materials
The concrete used for casting of the concrete columns was chosen
based on the most commonly used concrete in existing high-rise
concrete buildings in China. Three strength grades, as specified
in the Chinese specification for the mix proportion design of ordi-
nary concrete (JGJ55-2000) (Chinese Academy of Building
Research 2000), were considered with the nominal cubic compres-
sion strength (specimen size 150 × 150 × 150 mm3 ) between 20
and 40 MPa. The strength grades and corresponding mix propor-
tions are listed in Table 1.
Two types of carbon FRP sheets, as listed in Table 2, were pro-
vided by a local manufacturer and used for wrapping the column
specimens. Type I FRP sheets had a width and thickness of 150 and
0.13 mm, respectively, and type II FRP sheets had a width and
thickness of 150 and 0.167 mm, respectively. The fabric was uni-
directional with nonstructural weaves in the secondary direction to
hold the fabric together.
For each revolution of the FRP sheets, an overlap of 100 mm
was used to ensure proper confinement. The amount of FRP sheet
used was quantified by a strengthening ratio, ρf , which was calcu-
lated based on the volumetric ratio of the FRP sheets to the RC
columns: ρf ¼ 4ntf =D, where n and tf are the number of layers
and the thickness of the FRP fabric, respectively, and D is the
Table 1. Concrete Mix Proportions (Based on Weight)
Strength grade Cement Sand Gravel Water
C20 1.0 2.19 4.22 0.45
C30 1.0 1.8 3.2 0.53
C40 1.0 1.2 2.25 0.4
 Table 2. Mechanical Properties of Concrete, Carbon FRP Sheets, and Fig. 1 shows the typical failure of the specimens, where the FRP
Reinforcing Steel Bars sheets fractured nearly at the same vertical plane, and the fracture
Strengtha MOE Ultimate strain surface was rather even. For specimens with multiple layers of
Material (MPa) (×105 MPa) (mm=mm) FRP sheets, the intersheet bonding remained intact after the exterior
FRP sheets type I 4073 2.37 0.017
sheet fractured. This led to a rather uniform confining pressure on
FRP sheets type II 3500 2.22 0.017 the concrete core.
C20 concrete 22.4 0.33 — The test results of the applied load and axial concrete strain were
C30 concrete 23.2 0.29 — used for the development of a stress-strain relationship of the con-
C40 concrete 40.9 0.28 — fined concrete. This was done by first identifying the relationship
Longitudinal rebars 337.6 1.85 0.338 between the characteristics of the stress-strain relationship, such as
Stirrups 421.9 2.75 0.203 the ultimate stress and the ultimate strain, with the mechanical
a
This strength refers to the tensile strength of the FRP sheets, the prismatic properties of the concrete and FRP sheets. A complete stress-strain
compressive strength, fc , of the concrete (150 × 150 × 450 mm3 ), and the model was then established based on previous research results
yielding strength of the rebars and stirrups. (Lam and Teng 2003). The final form of the stress-strain model
Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by New York University on 05/11/15. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved.

is shown in Fig. 2 and can be expressed mathematically as

diameter of the circular concrete columns or the diameter of the
inscribed circle of rectangular and square cross sections.
The mechanical properties of the concrete and the two types of
FRP sheets were obtained from standard tests or the supplier, and
the corresponding results are listed in Table 2.
Concentric Compression Tests of Circular
FRP-Strengthened Plain Concrete Columns
The main objectives of the tests were the establishment of the
stress-strain relationship of confined concrete and the provision of
input data for the numerical analysis model developed in this study.
The tests considered two concrete strength grades, two specimen
sizes and up to three layers of FRP sheets. A constant height-to-
diameter ratio of 3.0 was used in conformance with the specifica-
tions in the standard for test method of mechanical properties on
ordinary concrete of China (GB/T 50081-2002) (Standardization
Administration of China 2002). The specimens were wrapped with
type I carbon FRP sheets continuously and horizontally over the
side of the columns. Details about the specimen size, concrete
grade, and FRP sheets are listed in Table 3.
The concrete columns were loaded by a hydraulic testing
machine with a capacity of 10,000 kN. A pair of linear differen-
tial variable transducers (LVDTs) measured the concrete axial
deformation. The longitudinal and transverse deformations of
the FRP sheets were measured by two strain gauges glued onto
the surface of the sheets at the midheight cross section of the
column specimens. The details of the test setup are presented
in Fig. 1.
( 2
Ec εcc − ðE4βf
c −E2 Þ
ε2cc ð0 ≤ εcc ≤ εcc0 Þ
σcc ¼ c ð1Þ
βfc þ E2 εcc ðεcc0 ≤ εcc ≤ εccu Þ
where σcc and εcc = compressive stress and strain of the confined
concrete, respectively; and f cc and f c = ultimate strengths of con-
fined and unconfined concrete, respectively. Ec is the modulus of
elasticity of the unconfined concrete and can be either tested or
approximately calculatedpfromffiffiffiffiffi the ultimate strength of unconfined
concrete as Ec ¼ 4; 825 fc MPa (Teng et al. 2002). εcc0 is the
strain corresponding to the end of the parabolic portion of the
stress-strain curve of confined concrete, as shown in Fig. 2, and
E2 is the slope of the straight-line portion of the stress-strain curve
of the confined concrete. βfc is the intercept of the straight line
with the ordinate (stress), and εccu is the ultimate strain of the con-
fined concrete and can be calculated based on the test results
[Fig. 3(a)] as
 
εccu fl
¼ 1.65 þ 22.47 ln þ1 ð2Þ
εco fc
where εco = unconfined concrete strain corresponding to the peak
stress and was taken as 0.002 mm=mm based on the test results
in this study; and f l = maximum confining stress of the FRP
sheets.
The ultimate strength of the confined concrete, fcc , can be cal-
culated based on existing models and a regression analysis of the
test results obtained in this study [Fig. 3(b)] as

Table 3. Details of FRP-Strengthened Concrete Column Specimens

Specimen ID Specimen dimension (mm2 ) Concrete grade FRP type FRP wraps Load eccentricity (mm) Replicate
Circular plain (CP) concrete column specimensa
SCP-1 100 × 300 C20 I 0, 1, 2, and 3 0 2
SCP-2 150 × 450 C20 I 0, 1, 2, and 3 0 2
SCP-3 100 × 300 C40 I 0, 1, 2, and 3 0 2
SCP-4 150 × 450 C40 I 0, 1, 2, and 3 0 2
Square plain (SP) concrete column specimensb
SSP-1 100 × 300 C20 I 1, 2, and 3 0 2
SSP-2 150 × 450 C20 I 1, 2, and 3 0 2
Square reinforced (SR) concrete column specimensb
SSR-1 250 × 1;500 C30 II 0 and 1 20 1
SSR-2 250 × 1;500 C30 II 0 and 1 60 1
SSR-3 250 × 1;500 C30 II 0 and 1 100 1
SSR-4 250 × 1;500 C30 II 0 and 1 150 1
a
Dimension is presented in the format of cross-sectional diameter × column height.
b
Dimension is presented in the format of cross-sectional width × column height.

338 / JOURNAL OF COMPOSITES FOR CONSTRUCTION © ASCE / MAY/JUNE 2013

J. Compos. Constr. 2013.17:336-346.

 Longitudinal 2nf efrp tf 2nEf εefrp tf
fl ¼ ¼ ð4Þ
Transverse D D
where fefrp and εefrp = effective tensile strength and strain of the
LVDT FRP sheets, respectively; Ef = the modulus of elasticity; and n,
tf , and D are as previously defined.
The effective tensile strain of the FRP sheets, εefrp , can be cal-
culated from the ultimate tensile strain of FRP sheets, εufrp , as
εefrp ¼ αεufrp , where the effective coefficient α is normally between
0.59 and 0.62 (Lam and Teng 2003) and was taken as 0.66 in this
study based on the test results.
The concrete strain, εcc0 , which corresponds to the end of the
Strain gauge parabolic stress-strain curve, and slope E2 of the increasing linear
Test setup Typical failure stress-strain curve of the confined concrete, as illustrated in Fig. 2,
Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by New York University on 05/11/15. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved.

can be calculated, respectively, as

Fig. 1. Test setup and typical failure mode of circular FRP- 2βfc f cc − βf c
strengthened plain concrete columns εcc0 ¼ and E2 ¼ ð5Þ
Ec − E2 εccu

The test results in this study indicated that the intercept of the
σcc linear stress-strain curve of the confined concrete, as shown in
Confined Fig. 2, is not necessarily equal to the ultimate strength of the
fcc
concrete unconfined concrete, which was assumed to be true in the develop-
E2
β fc ment of the stress-strain model of Lam and Teng (2003). Instead, it
Unconfined was found that it is related to the mechanical properties of the con-
fc
concrete
crete and FRP sheets. Thus, in this study, a coefficient (β) was used
to adjust the intercept (βfc ) of the stress-strain curve, and the co-
Ec efficient, β, was calculated based on the test results [Fig. 3(c)] as
εcc
εc0 εcc0 εcu εccu
fl
β ¼ 1 þ 0.01 ð6Þ
Fig. 2. Modified stress-strain model of FRP-confined concrete fc

where the second term of the expression essentially represents

the ratio between the FRP-confining stress and the compression
f cc f
¼ 1.0 þ 4.0 l ð3Þ strength of the unconfined concrete.
fc fc The mechanical properties of the unconfined concrete and FRP
sheets were obtained from standard material property tests, as listed
in Table 2. The test results of the confined concrete strength, fcc ,
The maximum confining stress of the FRP sheets, fl , can be the coefficient, β, the ultimate strain of confined concrete, εccu , and
calculated as the effective strain of FRP sheets, εefrp , were obtained from the

20 6
Concrete strenth fcc / fc
Ultimate strain εccu /εco

εccu ⎛ fl
⎝
5 fcc fl
= 1.0+4.0
15 εco = 1.65+22.47 ln ⎝1+ fc ⎛
fc fc
4
10 3
2
5
R2 = 0.71 1
R² = 0.88
0 0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
(a) Stiffness ratio ln(1+ fl /fc) (b) Confinement and concrete strength fl / fc

2.5
2nEf tf
2 β = 1+0.01
Dfc
Coefficient β

1.5

0.5
R² = 0.78
0
0 20 40 60 80 100
(c) FRP confinement ratio 2nE f tf /Dfc

Fig. 3. Determination of (a) ultimate strain; (b) confined strength; (c) intercept coefficient of the FRP-confined stress-strain relationship model

JOURNAL OF COMPOSITES FOR CONSTRUCTION © ASCE / MAY/JUNE 2013 / 339

J. Compos. Constr. 2013.17:336-346.

 Table 4. Test Results of Circular FRP-Strengthened Plain Concrete The test setup was the same as that of the circular plain concrete
Columns under Concentric Loading column tests, as shown in Fig. 1. The axial deformation of concrete
Specimen IDa ρf ð×10−2 Þ f cc (MPa) β εccu ð×10−3 Þ εefrp ð×10−3 Þ was measured by a pair of LVDTs. The longitudinal and circum-
SCP-1-1 0.52 56.2 1.28 9.03 8.74
ferential deformations of FRP sheets were measured by strain
SCP-1-2 1.04 78.2 1.66 17.62 9.37 gauges (two placed at the center of two opposite sides of the mid-
SCP-1-3 1.56 118.7 1.89 33.13 10.70 height cross section for longitudinal strain and eight placed uni-
SCP-2-1 0.35 45.7 1.18 12.17 11.17 formly along the edges of the midheight cross section).
SCP-2-2 0.69 65.4 1.48 20.00 11.79 The typical failure of the square FRP-strengthened plain con-
SCP-2-3 1.04 85.0 1.56 25.64 12.07 crete columns under concentric compression loading is shown in
SCP-3-1 0.52 71.1 1.05 19.84 9.20 Fig. 5, where the FRP sheets fractured at the corners of the speci-
SCP-3-2 1.04 97.6 1.34 16.46 10.39 men because of stress concentration. The exposed cross section
SCP-3-3 1.56 125.0 1.65 21.80 10.30
of a failed column specimen is also shown in Fig. 5, where it is
SCP-4-1 0.35 57.1 1.15 8.68 12.38
SCP-4-2 0.69 78.4 1.25 14.15 10.74 clear that the borderlines between the effectively confined and
noneffectively confined concrete were approximately parabolic.
Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by New York University on 05/11/15. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved.

SCP-4-3 1.04 100.4 1.39 18.94 11.64

a The test results of the maximum compression load, Pmax , ulti-
Specimen group SCP-1-1 refers to specimen group SCP-1 in Table 3 with
mate strain of confined concrete, εccu , and the effective strain of
one layer of FRP sheets and so on.
FRP sheets, εefrp , were summarized in Table 5. The test results
of the applied load and axial deformation (calculated as the product
of the midheight strain and the height of the column specimen) of
column tests and are listed in Table 4. Thus, the stress-strain rela-
the square FRP-strengthened concrete columns under concentric
tionship of FRP-confined concrete can be predicted by using
loading are shown in Fig. 6, where the results of each specimen
Eqs. (1)–(6). The predicted and tested results of 24 pieces of
group were obtained from two replications.
circular FRP-strengthened concrete columns were compared to
study the adequacy of the suggested model. The results are plotted
in Fig. 4, where generally good agreement can be observed.

Concentric Compression Tests of Square

FRP-Strengthened Plain Concrete Columns LVDT
Transverse
The major objective of testing the square plain concrete columns Longitudinal
was the verification of the numerical analysis model developed in Confined concrete
this study. The tests considered 12 square FRP-strengthened plain
concrete columns, prepared in two cross-sectional dimensions, and
three levels of FRP sheet usage. The height-to-width ratio of the
specimens was kept the same as that of the circular specimens
Unconfined
(i.e., 3.0). Type I FRP sheets were used for strengthening purposes.
FRP sheets fractured at corners Cross-sectional view concrete
Details about the specimens are listed in Table 3. The column cross
sections were rounded at the corners with a radius of 10 and 15 mm,
Fig. 5. Typical failure mode of square concentrically loaded FRP-
respectively, for specimen groups SSP-1 and SSP-2, as listed in
strengthened plain concrete columns
Table 3, for ease of FRP sheet wrapping.

150 150
Specimen-1 SCP-1-3 Specimen-1
120 Specimen-2 120 Specimen-2
Stress (MPa)

Stress (MPa)

Predicted SCP-1-2 Predicted SCP-2-3

90 90
SCP-2-2
60 SCP-1-1 60

30 30 SCP-2-1

0 0
0 10 20 30 40 0 10 20 30 40
Strain (10-3 mm/mm) Strain (10-3 mm/mm)

150 150
Specimen-1
SCP-3-3
120 120 SCP-4-3 Specimen-2
Stress (MPa)
Stress (MPa)

SCP-3-2
Predicted
90 90
SCP-3-1 SCP-4-2
60 60
Specimen-1 SCP-4-1
30 Specimen 2 30
Predicted 0
0
0 10 20 30 40 0 10 20 30 40
Strain (10-3 mm/mm) Strain (10-3 mm/mm)

Fig. 4. Test results and model predictions of the stress-strain relationship of FRP-confined concrete

340 / JOURNAL OF COMPOSITES FOR CONSTRUCTION © ASCE / MAY/JUNE 2013

J. Compos. Constr. 2013.17:336-346.

 Table 5. Test Results of Square FRP-Strengthened Plain Concrete 6@50 4 14 6@50
Columns under Concentric Loading 250 2 2 150
250
Specimen ID a
ρf ð×10−2 Þ Pmax (kN) εccu ð×10−3 Þ εefrp ð×10−3 Þ 6@200 100
SSP-1-1 0.52 366 6.78 10.15 250
SSP-1-2 1.04 430.5 12.02 10.45 1 1 Section 1-1 1 1
SSP-1-3 1.56 559.5 16.03 11.07 1000 6@200 6 14 1000
SSP-2-1 0.35 686 11.61 11.80 150
SSP-2-2 0.69 816 13.42 10.13 250
SSP-2-3 1.04 1,017 22.36 12.89 6@50 100
250
a
Specimen group SSP-1-1 refers to specimen group SSP-1 in Table 3 with 1 B 150
layer of FRP sheets and so on. 250 Section 2-2 250 Bc

Fig. 7. Column specimens of the eccentric compression tests (width B

It is evident that the maximum load and the stress of the columns
Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by New York University on 05/11/15. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved.

of Section 2-2 was 400, 450, and 500 mm for load eccentricities of
increased with an increased amount of FRP sheets used. It was also
60, 100, and 150 mm, respectively; and the corresponding corbel end
found that the maximum load decreased with increased specimen’s
width, Bc , was 150, 200, and 250 mm, respectively)
cross-sectional dimensions.

Eccentric Compression Tests of Square
FRP-Strengthened RC Columns
Eccentric compression tests were also conducted to provide further
verification of the developed numerical analysis model for eccen-
tric loading scenarios. The tests considered eight square RC col-
umns (a height of 1,500 mm and cross-sectional dimensions of
250 × 250 mm2 ), which were cast with C30 concrete and loaded
with four different load eccentricities. For specimens subjected to
large load eccentricities (≥60 mm), two corbel ends were cast to
facilitate the application of eccentric loading.
The longitudinal reinforcing bars were ribbed and had a diam-
eter of 14 mm, and the stirrups were made of plain steel bars with a
diameter of 6 mm. The mechanical properties of the longitudinal
rebars and stirrups are listed in Table 2. The columns were contin-
uously wrapped with one layer of a type II FRP sheet, as listed
in Table 2, with an overlap length of 150 mm. The edges of the
columns were rounded with a radius of 25 mm for ease of wrapping
the FRP sheets. A detailed description of the column geometry
and reinforcing steel bars are shown in Fig. 7, where symbol ϕ and
the following number represent the diameter of a steel bar and
symbol @ and the following number represent the spacing of
the stirrups.
The eccentric compression tests were carried out on a hydraulic
testing frame with a loading capacity of 2,000 kN. The eccentric
load was applied on the column specimens through a pair of knife-
edge bearing plates and was measured automatically by a built-in
load cell. The lateral deflection along the height of the column
specimens was measured by five LVDTs. The axial strain of the
concrete and reinforcing steel bars and the transverse strain of
the FRP sheets at the midheight cross section of the specimens were
measured through strain gauges. The test setup of the eccentric
compression tests is shown in Fig. 8.
It was found that the FRP-strengthened RC columns exhibited
similar mechanical behavior as nonstrengthened RC columns
when subjected to a large load eccentricity; the reinforcing bars
in both the compression and tension sides of the columns experi-
enced large deformation; the concrete on the tensile side of the
midheight cross section cracked, and the crack width measured
after specimen failure ranged between 10–30 mm, and eventually,
the concrete at the compression side of the columns crushed and
bulged. The transverse deformation of FRP sheets, which is an in-
dication of the FRP confinement, remained low until the maximum
compression load of the corresponding nonstrengthened column
was exceeded.
After the applied load reached the maximum value, the FRP
sheets started to fracture with noticeable noises. Eventually, the ap-
plied load decreased, and the FRP sheets fractured at the corners of
the columns because of stress concentration. The typical failure
mode of the FRP-strengthened concrete columns under eccentric
loading is shown in Fig. 8.
The transverse deformation (strain) of FRP sheets measured at
the midheight cross section of the columns is shown in Fig. 9. It is
evident that the transverse FRP sheet strains (e.g., the readings of
strain gauge No. 2) decreased with increased load eccentricity. The
negative measurements (i.e., compressive strain) of the FRP sheets
were unexpected and may be explained by cross-sectional warping
deformation or measurement errors at small readings.
The test results of the relationship between the applied load
and the midheight lateral deflection of the eccentrically loaded con-
crete columns, with or without FRP strengthening, are shown in

600 1000
SSP-1-3 SSP-2-3
500 SSP-2-2
Applied load (kN)
Applied load (kN)

SSP-1-2 800
400 SSP-2-1
600
SSP-1-1
300
400
200 Specimen-1 Specimen-1
100 Specimen-2 200 Specimen-2
Predicted Predicted
0 0
0 3 6 9 12 0 3 6 9 12
Axial deformation (mm) Axial deformation (mm)

Fig. 6. Test results and model predictions of the axial load and deformation responses of square FRP-strengthened plain concrete columns subjected
to concentric loading

JOURNAL OF COMPOSITES FOR CONSTRUCTION © ASCE / MAY/JUNE 2013 / 341

J. Compos. Constr. 2013.17:336-346.

 properties. However, quantification of the bonding behavior be-
tween FRP sheets and concrete is difficult, and the FRP-confining
stress is normally nonuniformly distributed along the edges of the
concrete cross sections, as indicated in Fig. 9, and is also difficult
to quantify.
It has been reported (Wang and Restrepo 2001; Lam and Teng
2003) that the effectively confined concrete of the cross section of
Strain gauges concentrically loaded concrete columns can be characterized by
four second-order parabolas that intersect the rounded edges of
Transverse the cross section at a slope of 45°. This was confirmed by the test
Lateral LVDT Longitudinal results of this study (Fig. 5). Thus, the effectively confined concrete
area can easily be determined based on the cross-sectional dimen-
sions and the parabolas. The latter can be expressed based on a
specified coordinate system, x 0 Oy 0 (shown in Fig. 11), as
Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by New York University on 05/11/15. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved.

Typical failure ðx 0 Þ2
y0 ¼ ð7Þ
h − 2r
Fig. 8. Test setup and typical failure mode of square eccentrically
loaded FRP-strengthened RC columns where y 0 and x 0 = coordinates of an arbitrary point on the parabola;
and h and r = cross-sectional height (also the width in case of
square cross sections) and the radius of rounded corners of a non-
circular cross section, respectively, as illustrated in Fig. 11.
Fig. 10. A comparison of the maximum loads of the strength- Knowing the effectively confined concrete area, the material
ened and nonstrengthened columns subjected to a common load properties of the concrete of the cross section can then be treated
eccentricity (shown in Fig. 9 and listed in Table 6) indicates that in two ways: the concrete surrounded by the four parabolas can be
the strengthening effect of FRP sheets decreased with increased modeled based on the confined concrete stress-strain relationship,
load eccentricity. However, the deformability of the columns was whereas the other concrete can be simply modeled based on the
improved noticeably in all cases because of the FRP sheet stress-strain relationship of unconfined concrete, as illustrated
confinement. in Fig. 2.
For FRP-strengthened columns subjected to eccentric loading,
the test results of the FRP-confining stress presented in this study
Development of a Numerical Analysis Model for (Fig. 9) indicated that the FRP confinement decreases with in-
FRP-Strengthened Concrete Columns creased load eccentricity. Based on the eccentric compression test
observations, it can be further assumed that the effectively confined
The stress-strain relationship of the confined concrete is essential concrete area also decreases with increased load eccentricity, zero-
to the numerical modeling of FRP-strengthened concrete col- ing out at a load eccentricity equal to or larger than nearly half of
umns. The existing models were developed based on either contact the cross-sectional height.
elements or FRP-confining stresses for the simulation of the FRP In this study, the effectively confined concrete area (the shaded
confinement and the resulting improved concrete mechanical area in Fig. 11) of the cross sections of eccentrically loaded

1500 1500 P SSR-2-1

Applied load (kN)

SSR-1-1
Applied load (kN)

1200 1200
Pu=917.7 kN
900 P
900
Pu=930 kN
600 Data #1 600 Data #1
#3 Data #2 Data #2
300 Data #3 300 Data #3
#4 #2
#1 Data #4 Data #4
0 0
-1000 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 -1000 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000
Transverse strain of FRP sheets (10-6 mm/mm) Transverse strain of FRP sheets (10-6 mm/mm)

600 Pu=557.1 kN 600 P

SSR-4-1
Applied load (kN)
Applied load (kN)

SSR-3-1
400 400 Pu=384 kN

P Data #1
Data #1
200 200 Data #2
Data #2
Data #3 Data #3
Data #4 Data #4
0 0
-500 0 500 1000 1500 2000 -500 0 500 1000 1500 2000
Transverse strain of FRP sheets (10-6 mm/mm) Transverse strain of FRP sheets (10-6 mm/mm)

Fig. 9. Transverse strains of FRP sheets of square eccentrically loaded RC columns

342 / JOURNAL OF COMPOSITES FOR CONSTRUCTION © ASCE / MAY/JUNE 2013

J. Compos. Constr. 2013.17:336-346.

 1500 1500
SSR-1-1

Applied load (kN)

Applied load (kN)
1200 SSR-1-0 1200 SSR-2-1
SSR-2-0
900 900
600 600
300 Test 300 Test
Model Model
0 0
0 5 10 15 20 0 5 10 15 20
Midheight lateral deflection (mm) Midheight lateral deflection (mm)

600 600
500

Applied load (kN)

500
Applied load (kN)

SSR-4-0 SSR-4-1
400 SSR-3-0 SSR-3-1 400
Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by New York University on 05/11/15. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved.

300 300
200 200
100 Test 100 Test
model Model
0 0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 0 5 10 15 20
Midheight lateral deflection (mm) Midheight lateral deflection (mm)

Fig. 10. Applied load and midheight lateral deflection relationship of square eccentrically loaded FRP-strengthened RC columns

Table 6. Test Results of Square FRP-Strengthened Reinforced Concrete where h and r are as previously defined; and a = intercept of the
Columns under Eccentric Loading cutting line at axis y and can be determined based on the load
Specimen ID ρf ð×10−2 Þ Pu (kN) Puc (kN) Puc =Pu − 1 (%) eccentricity (e0 ) through linear interpolation as
8
SSR-1 0.27 932 1,214 30.2 >
>
2
− h −h e0 ¼ 0
SSR-2 918 1,015 10.6 >
< 4ðh−2rÞ 2
SSR-3 557 568 2.0 a ¼ Linear interpolation 0 < e0 < h2 ð9Þ
>
>
SSR-4 384 390 1.6 >
:h− 1
2 4ðh−2rÞ e0 ¼ h 2
Note: Pu and Puc refer to the maximum compression loads of unconfined
(e.g., SSR-1-0) and FRP-confined columns (e.g., SSR-1-1).
Once the effectively confined concrete area is determined, the
maximum load (for both the concentrically and eccentrically loaded
columns) and the load and lateral deflection responses (for eccentri-
concrete columns was determined similarly to that of concentrically
cally loaded columns) of FRP-strengthened concrete (reinforced
loaded concrete columns, i.e., it was determined as the intersection
or not) columns can be readily established. In this study, the load-
of the effectively confined area of a concentrically loaded cross
axial-displacement responses of concentrically loaded concrete col-
section and the area bordered by an imaginary parabolic line, as
umns were predicted by incrementally increasing the axial concrete
illustrated in Fig. 11. The imaginary parabolic line can be expressed
strain and calculating the corresponding stress and resultant force
in the coordinate system, xOy, as
of the effectively confined and the unconfined concrete of the cross
sections. The axial load corresponding to any axial concrete strain
x2 can then be easily determined.
y¼ þa ð8Þ The load-lateral deflection responses of eccentrically loaded
h − 2r columns can be predicted by use of the well-known column deflec-
tion curve method (Chen and Atsuta 1976). The entire deflection
a
curve of a concrete column is approximated by a Taylor series
An imaginary based on the cross-sectional curvature (second-order derivative
Unconfined line of lateral deflection) and the rotation angle (first-order derivative
y y
concrete of lateral deflection). For determination of the cross-sectional cur-
r O O vatures and axial strains corresponding to a certain axial load and
°
45
Confined Confined bending moment, the column cross sections were discretized into
concrete x x
concrete y’
Zero eccentricity Small eccentricity
segments. The stresses and strains of the unconfined and effectively
O h-2r confined concrete and reinforcing steel bars, as dispersed to indi-
x’ vidual segments, are calculated through a trial-and-error process.
r y y A detailed derivation can be found in Song’s work (Song 2012).
O O
r h-2r r

Concentrically loaded x x Model Verification

cross-section
Medium eccentricity Large eccentricity
The proposed model was verified with the test results of square
Fig. 11. Effectively confined concrete area and correlation with load
plain and RC columns under concentric and eccentric compression
eccentricity
loading, respectively. The geometric information, including the

JOURNAL OF COMPOSITES FOR CONSTRUCTION © ASCE / MAY/JUNE 2013 / 343

J. Compos. Constr. 2013.17:336-346.

 2.0
column dimensions and reinforcing steel bars, was strictly based on ρf = 0.0027

Relative strength δ
the test specimens. The material mechanical properties were based 1.5
on the results of the standard material property tests, as listed in ρf = 0.016
Table 2. 1.0 ρf = 0.0267
The stress-strain relationship of the confined concrete was es-
tablished following Eq. (1), with the reference cylinder diameter, 0.5
D, taken as the diameter of the inscribed circle of the rounded
0.0
square cross sections. The stress-strain relationship of the uncon- 0 0.2 0.4 0.6
fined concrete was established based on Hognestad’s model (1951) Load eccentricity ratio e0 /h
and the tested properties of the concrete.
The test and model prediction results of the relationship between Fig. 12. Relationship between the relative strength, δ, and the load
the applied load and the axial deformation (calculated as the eccentricity ratio, e0 =h
product of the midheight strain and the height of the column speci-
men) of concentrically loaded plain concrete columns are shown
Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by New York University on 05/11/15. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved.

in Fig. 6. Those of the relationship between the applied load

Relative strength ratio δ/δ1

and the midheight lateral deflection of eccentrically loaded col- 8.0
e0/h = 0.12
umns are shown in Fig. 10. In both cases, good agreement can
6.0 e0/h = 0.24
be observed.
e0/h = 0.48
4.0

Parametric Study 2.0

The verified model was utilized for a parametric study to identify
the influence of the load eccentricity, the amount of FRP sheets,
and the concrete strength on the maximum compression load of
FRP-strengthened concrete columns. As mentioned previously,
the FRP sheet usage was quantified by the volumetric ratio, ρf ;
and the load eccentricity, e0 , was presented in a dimensionless
way by its ratio to the nominal cross-sectional height, h, as
e0 =h. The increase in the maximum compression load of the
FRP-strengthened columns with respect to nonstrengthened col-
umns was quantified by a relative strength, δ ¼ ðPuc − Pu Þ=Pu ,
where Puc is the maximum compression load of the FRP-
strengthened columns, and Pu is the maximum compression load
of a same but nonstrengthened column.
The numerical analysis was based on the geometric information
and steel reinforcement provision of specimen SSR-1 used in the
eccentric compression tests. The physical and mechanical proper-
ties of the longitudinal rebars, stirrups, and type II FRP sheets were
those listed in Table 2. Based on the previous information, the load
eccentricity, FRP sheet usage, and concrete compression strength
of the column were sampled within a certain range to identify their
individual influences.
Influence of Load Eccentricity
The influence of the load eccentricity was investigated by consid-
ering a load eccentricity, e0 , from 10–120 mm (i.e., corresponding
load eccentricity ratios, e0 =h, from 0.04–0.48). Three FRP-
strengthening ratios—0.00267 (one layer), 0.016 (six layers), and
0.0267 (10 layers)—were also considered for the interaction be-
tween the load eccentricity and the FRP strengthening ratio. The
prismatic compression strength of concrete was considered con-
stant at 10 MPa. The predicted results of the relative strength, δ,
and the load eccentricity ratio, e0 =h, are shown in Fig. 12.
It is evident that the relative strength (δ) generally decreased
with increased load eccentricity ratio. From Fig. 12, it can also be
determined that, at a small FRP-strengthening ratio (e.g., ρf ¼
0.00267) or load eccentricity ratio (e.g., e0 =h < 0.2), the relative
strength was nearly constant.
Influence of FRP-Strengthening Ratio
The influence of the FRP-strengthening ratio was investigated
by considering ρf in a range from 0.00267–0.0267. Three load
δ /δ 1 =181.8ρf +0.66
0.0
0 0.005 0.01 0.015 0.02 0.025 0.03
Strengthening ratio ρf
Fig. 13. Relationship between the relative strength ratio and the FRP-
strengthening ratio
eccentricity ratios—0.12, 0.24, and 0.48—were also considered.
The concrete strength remained constant at 10 MPa. The relative
strength of the column with a strengthening ratio (ρf ) of 0.00267
and a load eccentricity ratio (e0 =h) of 0.12 was denoted as δ1 , based
on which a relatively strength ratio, δ=δ 1 , was evaluated. The es-
tablished relationship between the relative strength ratio, δ=δ1 , and
the FRP-strengthening ratio is shown in Fig. 13.
It is clear that the relative strength ratio increased with increased
FRP-strengthening ratio and that the increasing rate was higher in
case of a smaller load eccentricity ratio. However, the difference in
the increasing rate corresponding to the three load eccentricity ra-
tios was small when the FRP-strengthening ratio was less than
0.015 (approximately six layers of FRP sheets).
Influence of Concrete Compression Strength
The influence of the concrete compression strength was investi-
gated by considering concrete compression strengths in a range
from 10–50 MPa. The three load eccentricity ratios and FRP-
strengthening ratios were also considered for each of the concrete
compression strength values. Based on the accumulated results, the
relationship between the relative strength ratio, δ=δ 1 , where δ 1 is as
previously defined, and the concrete compression strength, fc , was
established and is shown in Fig. 14.
It is evident that for the three load eccentricity ratios and
FRP-strengthening ratios, the relative strength ratio (δ=δ 1 ) de-
creased nearly exponentially with increased concrete compression
strength, fc . The relative strength ratio became very small for a
concrete compression strength value larger than 50 MPa. This im-
plies that the FRP-strengthening method may be most suitable for
low-strength concrete members, which are most commonly seen in
historical concrete buildings (in contrast to newly built concrete
buildings).

344 / JOURNAL OF COMPOSITES FOR CONSTRUCTION © ASCE / MAY/JUNE 2013

J. Compos. Constr. 2013.17:336-346.

 Rlative strength ratioδ /δ 1
1.2 e0/h = 0.12, f = 0.0027 properties of the FRP sheets. This is acceptable in most cases,
1.0 e0/h = 0.24, f = 0.0027 where the mechanical properties of FRP sheets, e.g., the tensile
0.8 δ/δ1 = 1.66e-0.06fc e0/h = 0.48, f = 0.0027 strength, are close (as shown in Table 7); however, in the case
0.6 e0/h = 0.12, f = 0.016 where the FRP sheets to be used have significantly different proper-
0.4 e0/h = 0.24, f = 0.016 ties compared to those used in this study, the calculation of the
0.2
e0/h = 0.48, f = 0.016 FRP-strengthening ratio (ρf ) should be based on an adjusted fabric
0.0
e0/h = 0.12, f = 0.0267 thickness (tf;a ) to reflect the differences in these properties. The
0 10 20 30 40 50 e0/h = 0.24, f = 0.0267
60 adjustment can be done based on the tensile strength, such as
Concrete strength fc (MPa) e0/h = 0.48, f = 0.0267 tf;a ¼ tf
f efrp =fefrp;r , where f efrp;r is the reference tensile strength
of FRP sheets and can be taken as 3,500 MPa, as used during the
Fig. 14. Relationship between the relative strength ratio and the derivation of the formula.
concrete compression strength The proposed formula was further verified with test results re-
ported in the literature. The 23 square and rectangular RC columns
in various column dimensions (slenderness ratios), concrete
Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by New York University on 05/11/15. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved.

strengths, load eccentricities, and FRP-strengthening ratios were

Analytical Formula for Maximum Compression Load
studied. The cylindrical compression strength, f c’, reported in
of FRP-Strengthened Concrete Columns Subjected
the literature was converted to the prismatic compression strength,
to Compression Loading
fc , and vice versa, following the specifications in the design codes
An analytical formula of the increase of the maximum compression of China (GB 50010-2002) (Ministry of Construction of the
load of FRP-strengthened RC columns with respect to nonstrength- People’s Republic of China 2002), the United States (ACI 318-
ened columns was developed based on a regression analysis of the 05) [American Concrete Institute (ACI) 2005], and Europe (EN
parametric study results. The mathematical form of the formula can 1992-1-1: 2004) (European Committee for Standardization
be expressed as 2004). For example, for concrete with the cubic concrete strength
less than 40 MPa, the prismatic strength fc can be approximately
Puc calculated from the cylindrical strength as f c0 =1.2. The test and pre-
¼ 1 þ 1.66e−0.06fc × ð181.8ρf þ 0.66Þ
Pu diction results of the maximum compression load of the FRP
8
> 1.79 − 2.84 eh0 ρf ¼ 0.0267 strengthened concrete columns are listed in Table 7, where good
< agreement (in most cases less than 10% error) is achieved despite
× 1.04 − 1.48 eh0 ρf ¼ 0.016 when e0 =h ≤ 0.5 the inevitable variation in specimen quality.
>
:
0.193 ρf ¼ 0.00267
ð10Þ Conclusions

The fitting of the proposed formula with the simulated results This paper has presented a study on the mechanical behavior of
is shown in Figs. 12–14. This formula considered a volumetric square FRP-strengthened concrete columns subjected to concentric
ratio for the FRP sheet usage and did not include the mechanical and eccentric compression loading. A numerical analysis model

Table 7. Verification Results of the Proposed Formula Based on Test Data in the Literature
tf f efrp ðPuc;p − Puc Þ=
Data source Dimension, mm f c , MPa (mm) (MPa) ρf ð×10−2 Þ e=h Pu , kN Puc , kN Puc;p , kNa Puc , %
Parvin and 108 × 305 17.8 0.165 3,800 0.61 0.00 403 620 570 −8.0
Wang (2001) 0.07 315 455 438 −3.9
0.14 294 435 400 −7.9
1.22 0.00 525 1,050 1,214 15.6
0.07 391 700 857 22.4
0.14 360 651 745 14.4
Taranu et al. 250 × 1,000 25.5 0.34 3,900 0.54 0.20 1,391 2,134 1,645 −22.9
(2011) 250 × 1,000 1.09 0.20 1,391 2,005 2,095 4.5
300 × 1,000 0.45 0.25 2,121 2,296 2,416 5.2
300 × 1,000 0.91 0.25 2,121 2,481 2,866 15.5
Maaddawy 125 × 1,000 23.8 0.12 4,100 0.38 0.30 215 295 242 −18.1
(2009) 0.43 165 205 184 −10.3
0.57 145 157 160 2.0
0.86 92 95 100 5.0
Maaddawy 135 × 540 16.7 0.12 4,100 0.36 0.00 442 595 529 −11.0
et al. (2010) 0.46 150 186 175 −6.2
0.60 105 135 121 −10.0
120 × 150 × 600b 0.40 0.00 428 559 529 −5.4
0.46 148 177 174 −1.7
0.60 119 143 138 −3.2
110 × 160 × 640b 0.44 0.00 420 517 532 3.0
0.46 169 190 201 5.5
0.60 111 130 129 −1.0
a
Puc;p refers to the predicted maximum load of the FRP-strengthened columns by using Eq. (10).
b
Dimension of rectangular cross-sections is described as width × height × column length.

JOURNAL OF COMPOSITES FOR CONSTRUCTION © ASCE / MAY/JUNE 2013 / 345

J. Compos. Constr. 2013.17:336-346.

 was developed based on the effectively confined concrete area of
column cross sections and was verified based on the test results of
square concentrically loaded plain concrete columns and square
eccentrically loaded RC columns. An analytical formula for the
increase of the maximum compression load of FRP-strengthened
concrete columns, with respect to the same, nonstrengthened col-
umns, was developed based on the parametric study results yielded
from the verified model. The analytical formula was further ver-
ified based on the test results of 23 square and rectangular FRP-
strengthened columns reported in the literature. Good agreement
was achieved.
It was found that the increase of the maximum compression load
of FRP-strengthened concrete columns with respect to the same,
nonstrengthened columns increased linearly with increased amount
Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by New York University on 05/11/15. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved.
of FRP sheets used and decreased linearly with increased load
eccentricity and exponentially with increased concrete compression
strength. The last observation implies that the FRP-strengthening
technique (i.e., wrapping) might be most suitable for low-strength
concrete members.
Acknowledgments
This research work was financially supported by the National Key
Technology R&D Program of China (Grant No. 2006BAJ03A07).
References
American Concrete Institute (ACI). (2005). “Building code requirements
for structural concrete.” ACI 318-05, Detroit.
Campione, G., and Miraglia, N. (2003). “Strength and strain capacities of
concrete compression members reinforced with FRP.” Cem. Concr.
Compos., 25(1), 31–41.
Chen, W. F., and Atsuta, T. (1976). Theory of beam-columns: Space behav-
ior and design, Vol. 2, McGraw-Hill, Berlin.
Chinese Academy of Building Research. (2000). “Specification for mix
proportion design of ordinary concrete.” JGJ55-2000, Beijing.
Debaiky, A., Green, M. F., and Hope, B. B. (2007). “Modeling of corroded
FRP-wrapped reinforced concrete columns in axial compression.”
J. Compos. Constr., 11(6), 556–564.
Doran, B., Koksal, H. O., and Turgay, T. (2009). “Nonlinear finite element
modeling of rectangular/square concrete columns confined with FRP.”
Mater. Des., 30(8), 3066–3075.
European Committee for Standardization. (2004). “Eurocode 2. Design
of concrete structures. General rules and rules for buildings.” EN
1992-1-1: 2004, Brussels, Belgium.
Hadi, M. N. S. (2006). “Behavior of FRP wrapped normal strength concrete
columns under eccentric loading.” Compos. Struct., 72(4), 503–511.
Hadi, M. N. S. (2007). “Behavior of FRP strengthened concrete columns
under eccentric compression loading.” Compos. Struct., 77(1), 92–96.
Hadi, M. N. S. M., and Widiarsa, I. B. R. (2012). “Axial and flexural per-
formance of square RC columns wrapped with CFRP under eccentric
loading.” J. Compos. Constr., 16(6), 640–649.
346 / JOURNAL OF COMPOSITES FOR CONSTRUCTION © ASCE / MAY/JUNE 2013
J. Compos. Constr. 2013.17:336-346.
Hognestad, E. (1951). “A study of combined bending and axial load in
reinforced concrete members.” Bulletin Series No.399, 128, University
of Illinois Engineering Experimental Station, Urbana, IL.
Lam, L., and Teng, J. G. (2003). “Design-oriented stress-strain model for
FRP-confined concrete in rectangular columns.” J. Reinforc. Plast.
Compos., 22(13), 1149–1186.
Li, J., and Hadi, M. N. S. (2003). “Behavior of externally confined high-
strength concrete columns under eccentric loading.” Compos. Struct.,
62(2), 145–153.
Luca, A. D., Nardone, F., Matta, F., Nanni, A., Lignola, G. P., and Prota, A.
(2011). “Structural evaluation of full-scale FRP-confined reinforced
concrete columns.” J. Compos. Constr., 15(1), 112–123.
Maaddawy, T. E. (2009). “Strengthening of eccentrically loaded reinforced
concrete columns with fiber-reinforced polymer wrapping system: Ex-
perimental investigation and analytical modeling.” J. Compos. Constr.,
13(1), 13–24.
Maaddawy, T. E., Sayed, M. E., and Abdel-Magid, B. (2010). “The effects
of cross-sectional shape and loading condition on performance of
reinforced concrete members confined with carbon fiber-reinforced
polymers.” Mater. Des., 31(5), 2330–2341.
Mander, J. B., Priestley, M. J. N., and Park, R. (1988). “Theoretical stress-
strain model for confined concrete.” J. Struct. Eng., 114(8), 1804–1826.
Ministry of Construction of the People’s Republic of China. (2002). “Code
for design of concrete structures.” GB 50010-2002, Beijing.
Montoya, E., Vecchio, F. J., and Sheikh, S. A. (2004). “Numerical evalu-
ation of the behavior of steel and FRP confined concrete columns using
compression field modeling.” Eng. Struct., 26(11), 1535–1545.
Nanni, A., and Bradford, N. M. (1995). “FRP jacketed concrete under
uniaxial compression.” Constr. Build. Mater., 9(2), 115–124.
Parvin, A., and Wang, W. (2001). “Behavior of FRP jacketed concrete
columns under eccentric loading.” J. Compos. Constr., 5(3), 146–152.
Richart, F. E., Brandtzaeg, A., and Brown, R. L. (1928). “A study of the
failure of concrete under combined compressive stresses.” Engineering
Experiment Station Bulletin, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL.
Samaan, M., Mirmiran, A., and Shahawy, M. (1998). “Model of concrete
confined by fiber composites.” J. Struct. Eng., 124(9), 1025–1031.
Song, X. B. (2012). “A curvature method for beam-column with different
materials and arbitrary cross-section shapes.” Struct. Eng. Mech., 43(2),
147–161.
Standardization Administration of China. (2002). “Standard for test method
of mechanical properties on ordinary concrete.” GB/T 50081-2002,
Beijing.
Taranu, N., Cozmanciuc, C., and Oltean, R. (2011). “Experimental study of
reinforced concrete columns confined with composite membranes.”
Bul. Inst. Polit. Iaşi t. LVII (LXI), 57(3), 33–45.
Teng, J. G., Chen, J. F., Smith, S. T., and Lam, L. (2002). FRP-strengthened
RC structures, Wiley, Hoboken, NJ.
Turgay, T., Polat, Z., Koksal, H. O., Doran, B., and Karakoc, D. (2010).
“Compressive behavior of large-scale square reinforced concrete col-
umns confined with carbon fiber reinforced polymer jackets.” Mater.
Des., 31(1), 357–364.
Wang, Y. C., and Restrepo, J. I. (2001). “Investigation of concentrically
loaded reinforced concrete columns confined with glass fiber-reinforced
polymer jackets.” ACI Struct. J., 98(3), 377–385.
Wu, Y. F., and Wang, L. M. (2009). “Unified strength model for square and
circular concrete columns confined by external jacket.” J. Struct. Eng.,
135(3), 253–261.