Este estudo apresenta os resultados de uma investigação experimental constituída de três séries de ensaio, cada uma envolvendo dois modelos: um pilar básico de concreto armado, representando o pilar a ser reforçado e um pilar reforçado por camisa de concreto de alto desempenho com várias características. Todos os pilares básicos tinham a seção quadrada de 150 mm x 150 mm com altura de 1200 mm. Eles foram produzidos com concreto de 18 MPa de resistência nominal à compressão, armadura longitudinal com quatro barras de 8 mm de diâmetro e armadura transversal com estribos de 6.3mm de diâmetro com espaçamento de 90 mm. Os parâmetros que foram variados nas camisas de reforço foram: a) dois valores de espessura (tj); b) três valores de taxa de armadura transversal (*sw) utilizando telas soldadas ou armadura de estribos; c) adição de fibras curtas de aço. A resistência nominal à compressão do concreto utilizado em todas as camisas foi de 65 MPa, caracterizando-se portanto um concreto de alta resistência. Os pilares foram submetidos à compressão axial por meio de uma máquina hidráulica servo-controlada. Os ensaios foram realizados com controle de deslocamento, adotando-se uma velocidade de 0.005mm/s para o deslocamento do pistão. A força aplicada e as deformações continuaram sendo medidas após o alcance da força de ruína, para se avaliar o comportamento pós-pico, até se atingir uma força residual de cerca de 50% da força de pico. Modelos de cálculo da resistência última dos pilares reforçados foram analisados. Também foram testados modelos de confinamento e ductilidade para os elementos reforçados. / This study presents the results of an experimental investigation in three series of tests, each one involving two models: a basic reinforced concrete column, which represents the column to ge strengthened, and an identical basic column strengthned by a high-performance concrete jacket with variable characteristics. All the basic columns had a 150 mm x 150 mm square section and a 1,200 mm length. They were made of a 18 MPa nominal strength concrete and reinforced with four 8 mm diameter steel bars and 6.3mm diameter stirrups each. The jacket characteristics varied as follows: a) two thickness values(tj); b) three values of transverse reinforcement ratio (*sw) using welded wire steel meshes or ordinary stirrups; c) addition of short steel fibers. The nominal concrete compressive strength used in all the jackets was 65 MPa, therefore a high-strength concrete. The columns were subjected to monotonic axial compression by means of a servo-controlled hydraulic machine. A displacement increasing rate of 0.005 mm/sec at the top of the column was adopted. Load and strain measurements continued after the ultimate load to evaluate the post-peak behavior, up to a residual load-bearing capacity of about 50% of the peak load. Several calculation hypotheses were tested to evaluate the ultime strength of the rehabilitated columns. Also confinement mechanisms and ductility of the members were analyzed.

Performance of bridges during previous earthquakes has demonstrated that many structural failures could be attributed to seismic deficiencies in bridge columns. Lack of transverse reinforcement and inadequate splicing of longitudinal reinforcement in potential plastic hinge regions of columns constitute primary reasons for their poor performance. A number of column retrofit techniques have been developed and tested in the past. These techniques include steel jacketing, reinforced concrete jacketing and use of transverse prestressing (RetroBelt) for concrete confinement, shear strengthening and splice clamping. A new retrofit technique, involving fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) jacketing has emerged as a convenient and structurally sound alternative with improved durability. The new technique, although received acceptance in the construction industry, needs to be fully developed as a viable seismic retrofit methodology, supported by reliable design and construction procedures. The successful application of externally applied FRP jackets to existing columns, coupled with deteriorating bridge infrastructure, raised the possibility of using FRP reinforcement for new construction. Stay-in-place formwork, in the form of FRP tubes are being researched for its feasibility. The FRP stay-in-place tubes offer ease in construction, convenient formwork, and when left in place, the protection of concrete against environmental effects, including the protection of steel reinforcement against corrosion, while also serving as column transverse reinforcement. Combined experimental and analytical research was conducted in the current project to i) improve the performance of FRP column jacketing for existing bridge columns, and ii) to develop FRP stay-in-place formwork for new bridge columns. The experimental phase consisted of design, construction and testing of 7 full-scale reinforced concrete bridge columns under simulated seismic loading. The columns represented both existing seismically deficient bridge columns, and new columns in stay-in-place formwork. The existing columns were deficient in either shear, or flexure, where the flexural deficiencies stemmed from lack of concrete confinement and/or use of inadequately spliced longitudinal reinforcement. The test parameters included cross-sectional shape (circular or square), reinforcement splicing, column shear span for flexure and shear-dominant behaviour, FRP jacket thickness, as well as use of FRP tubes as stay-in-place formwork, with or without internally embedded FRP crossties. The columns were subjected to a constant axial compression and incrementally increasing inelastic deformation reversals. The results, presented and discussed in this thesis, indicate that the FRP retrofit methodology provides significant confinement to circular and square columns, improving column ductility substantially. The FRP jack also improved diagonal tension capacity of columns, changing brittle shear-dominant column behavior to ductile flexure dominant response. The jackets, when the transverse strains are controlled, are able to improve performance of inadequately spliced circular columns, while remain somewhat ineffective in improving the performance of spliced square columns. FRP stay-in-place formwork provides excellent ductility to circular and square columns in new concrete columns, offering tremendous potential for use in practice. The analytical phase of the project demonstrates that the current analytical techniques for column analysis can be used for columns with external FRP reinforcement, provided that appropriate material models are used for confined concrete, FRP composites and reinforcement steel. Plastic analysis for flexure, starting with sectional moment-curvature analysis and continuing into member analysis incorporating the formation of plastic hinging, provide excellent predictions of inelastic force-deformation envelopes of recorded hysteretic behaviour. A displacement based design procedure adapted to FRP jacketed columns, as well as columns in FRP stay-in-place formwork provide a reliable design procedure for both retrofitting existing columns and designing new FRP reinforced concrete columns.

Este estudo apresenta os resultados de uma investigação experimental constituída de três séries de ensaio, cada uma envolvendo dois modelos: um pilar básico de concreto armado, representando o pilar a ser reforçado e um pilar reforçado por camisa de concreto de alto desempenho com várias características. Todos os pilares básicos tinham a seção quadrada de 150 mm x 150 mm com altura de 1200 mm. Eles foram produzidos com concreto de 18 MPa de resistência nominal à compressão, armadura longitudinal com quatro barras de 8 mm de diâmetro e armadura transversal com estribos de 6.3mm de diâmetro com espaçamento de 90 mm. Os parâmetros que foram variados nas camisas de reforço foram: a) dois valores de espessura (tj); b) três valores de taxa de armadura transversal (*sw) utilizando telas soldadas ou armadura de estribos; c) adição de fibras curtas de aço. A resistência nominal à compressão do concreto utilizado em todas as camisas foi de 65 MPa, caracterizando-se portanto um concreto de alta resistência. Os pilares foram submetidos à compressão axial por meio de uma máquina hidráulica servo-controlada. Os ensaios foram realizados com controle de deslocamento, adotando-se uma velocidade de 0.005mm/s para o deslocamento do pistão. A força aplicada e as deformações continuaram sendo medidas após o alcance da força de ruína, para se avaliar o comportamento pós-pico, até se atingir uma força residual de cerca de 50% da força de pico. Modelos de cálculo da resistência última dos pilares reforçados foram analisados. Também foram testados modelos de confinamento e ductilidade para os elementos reforçados. / This study presents the results of an experimental investigation in three series of tests, each one involving two models: a basic reinforced concrete column, which represents the column to ge strengthened, and an identical basic column strengthned by a high-performance concrete jacket with variable characteristics. All the basic columns had a 150 mm x 150 mm square section and a 1,200 mm length. They were made of a 18 MPa nominal strength concrete and reinforced with four 8 mm diameter steel bars and 6.3mm diameter stirrups each. The jacket characteristics varied as follows: a) two thickness values(tj); b) three values of transverse reinforcement ratio (*sw) using welded wire steel meshes or ordinary stirrups; c) addition of short steel fibers. The nominal concrete compressive strength used in all the jackets was 65 MPa, therefore a high-strength concrete. The columns were subjected to monotonic axial compression by means of a servo-controlled hydraulic machine. A displacement increasing rate of 0.005 mm/sec at the top of the column was adopted. Load and strain measurements continued after the ultimate load to evaluate the post-peak behavior, up to a residual load-bearing capacity of about 50% of the peak load. Several calculation hypotheses were tested to evaluate the ultime strength of the rehabilitated columns. Also confinement mechanisms and ductility of the members were analyzed.

Performance of bridges during previous earthquakes has demonstrated that many structural failures could be attributed to seismic deficiencies in bridge columns. Lack of transverse reinforcement and inadequate splicing of longitudinal reinforcement in potential plastic hinge regions of columns constitute primary reasons for their poor performance. A number of column retrofit techniques have been developed and tested in the past. These techniques include steel jacketing, reinforced concrete jacketing and use of transverse prestressing (RetroBelt) for concrete confinement, shear strengthening and splice clamping. A new retrofit technique, involving fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) jacketing has emerged as a convenient and structurally sound alternative with improved durability. The new technique, although received acceptance in the construction industry, needs to be fully developed as a viable seismic retrofit methodology, supported by reliable design and construction procedures. The successful application of externally applied FRP jackets to existing columns, coupled with deteriorating bridge infrastructure, raised the possibility of using FRP reinforcement for new construction. Stay-in-place formwork, in the form of FRP tubes are being researched for its feasibility. The FRP stay-in-place tubes offer ease in construction, convenient formwork, and when left in place, the protection of concrete against environmental effects, including the protection of steel reinforcement against corrosion, while also serving as column transverse reinforcement. Combined experimental and analytical research was conducted in the current project to i) improve the performance of FRP column jacketing for existing bridge columns, and ii) to develop FRP stay-in-place formwork for new bridge columns. The experimental phase consisted of design, construction and testing of 7 full-scale reinforced concrete bridge columns under simulated seismic loading. The columns represented both existing seismically deficient bridge columns, and new columns in stay-in-place formwork. The existing columns were deficient in either shear, or flexure, where the flexural deficiencies stemmed from lack of concrete confinement and/or use of inadequately spliced longitudinal reinforcement. The test parameters included cross-sectional shape (circular or square), reinforcement splicing, column shear span for flexure and shear-dominant behaviour, FRP jacket thickness, as well as use of FRP tubes as stay-in-place formwork, with or without internally embedded FRP crossties. The columns were subjected to a constant axial compression and incrementally increasing inelastic deformation reversals. The results, presented and discussed in this thesis, indicate that the FRP retrofit methodology provides significant confinement to circular and square columns, improving column ductility substantially. The FRP jack also improved diagonal tension capacity of columns, changing brittle shear-dominant column behavior to ductile flexure dominant response. The jackets, when the transverse strains are controlled, are able to improve performance of inadequately spliced circular columns, while remain somewhat ineffective in improving the performance of spliced square columns. FRP stay-in-place formwork provides excellent ductility to circular and square columns in new concrete columns, offering tremendous potential for use in practice. The analytical phase of the project demonstrates that the current analytical techniques for column analysis can be used for columns with external FRP reinforcement, provided that appropriate material models are used for confined concrete, FRP composites and reinforcement steel. Plastic analysis for flexure, starting with sectional moment-curvature analysis and continuing into member analysis incorporating the formation of plastic hinging, provide excellent predictions of inelastic force-deformation envelopes of recorded hysteretic behaviour. A displacement based design procedure adapted to FRP jacketed columns, as well as columns in FRP stay-in-place formwork provide a reliable design procedure for both retrofitting existing columns and designing new FRP reinforced concrete columns.

O efeito de confinamento do concreto em pilares submetidos à compressão axial traz diversos benefícios ao seu comportamento estrutural, dentre os quais destacam-se o aumento na resistência à compressão axial do concreto pela ação das pressões laterais, e a melhoria da ductilidade do elemento estrutural. Em função destas vantagens, o confinamento é uma das principais técnicas de reforço de pilares de concreto. Porém, dependendo da forma da seção transversal, a eficiência do reforço pode ficar comprometida em função da distribuição da pressão de confinamento. No caso de pilares de seção circular, esta distribuição é uniforme. Já em pilares de seção quadrada e retangular, existe concentração de tensão nos cantos da seção transversal, o que, no caso de reforço por encamisamento com PRFC, pode causar a ruptura prematura da camisa, resultando num reforço ineficiente. Com o intuito de considerar as diferentes configurações da distribuição da pressão de confinamento, utiliza-se um coeficiente de forma, que em seções diferentes da circular (para a qual este coeficiente é igual à unidade), minora o valor da pressão de confinamento, o qual é utilizado na previsão da carga de ruptura do pilar reforçado. Este trabalho tem como objetivo central o estudo de vários tipos de seção transversal com o intuito de avaliar a sua influência na eficiência do reforço e da ductilidade do elemento estrutural. Para tal, foram realizadas simulações experimentais com pilares de seção transversal circular, quadrada e retangular com os cantos arredondados, elíptica e uma seção composta por semicírculos. Os resultados demonstram que uma forma de seção transversal adequada é essencial para um bom desempenho do pilar reforçado, sendo assim, as seções transversais que apresentaram os melhores resultados foram a circular, a elíptica e a composta por semicírculos / The effect of the concrete confinement in columns submitted to the axial compression brings many benefits to its structural behavior, amongst them the increase of the axial compressive strength due to the action of the lateral pressures and the improvement of the ductility. In function of these advantages, the confinement is one of the main techniques for strengthening of concrete columns. However, depending on the shape of the cross section, the efficiency of the reinforcement can be impaired by the non-uniformity of the confinement pressure distribution. In the case of circular cross section columns, this distribution is uniform. Otherwise, in square and rectangular cross section columns, there is a pressure concentration at the cross section corners. In case of CFRP jackets, the pressure concentration leads to a premature rupture of the jacket, resulting in an inefficient reinforcement. Intending to consider the different confinement pressure distributions, a shape coefficient is applied to cross sections with distinguished shape from the circular one (for which this coefficient is equal to the unit), to correct the confinement pressure value. The corrected pressure is applied in theoretical evaluations of the column’s load carrying capacity. The main objective of work is to analyze the structural behavior of strengthened concrete columns with different shape cross-sections, evaluating the influences in the efficiency of the jacketing and in the ductility of the structural element. Experimental simulations were made in columns with the following cross section shapes: circular, square and rectangular with rounded corners, elliptical and a section composed by semicircles. The results demonstrated that an adequate shape of the cross-section is essential for a good performance of the strengthened columns. The cross sections that presented the best results were the circular, the elliptical and the one composed by semicircles

O efeito de confinamento do concreto em pilares submetidos à compressão axial traz diversos benefícios ao seu comportamento estrutural, dentre os quais destacam-se o aumento na resistência à compressão axial do concreto pela ação das pressões laterais, e a melhoria da ductilidade do elemento estrutural. Em função destas vantagens, o confinamento é uma das principais técnicas de reforço de pilares de concreto. Porém, dependendo da forma da seção transversal, a eficiência do reforço pode ficar comprometida em função da distribuição da pressão de confinamento. No caso de pilares de seção circular, esta distribuição é uniforme. Já em pilares de seção quadrada e retangular, existe concentração de tensão nos cantos da seção transversal, o que, no caso de reforço por encamisamento com PRFC, pode causar a ruptura prematura da camisa, resultando num reforço ineficiente. Com o intuito de considerar as diferentes configurações da distribuição da pressão de confinamento, utiliza-se um coeficiente de forma, que em seções diferentes da circular (para a qual este coeficiente é igual à unidade), minora o valor da pressão de confinamento, o qual é utilizado na previsão da carga de ruptura do pilar reforçado. Este trabalho tem como objetivo central o estudo de vários tipos de seção transversal com o intuito de avaliar a sua influência na eficiência do reforço e da ductilidade do elemento estrutural. Para tal, foram realizadas simulações experimentais com pilares de seção transversal circular, quadrada e retangular com os cantos arredondados, elíptica e uma seção composta por semicírculos. Os resultados demonstram que uma forma de seção transversal adequada é essencial para um bom desempenho do pilar reforçado, sendo assim, as seções transversais que apresentaram os melhores resultados foram a circular, a elíptica e a composta por semicírculos / The effect of the concrete confinement in columns submitted to the axial compression brings many benefits to its structural behavior, amongst them the increase of the axial compressive strength due to the action of the lateral pressures and the improvement of the ductility. In function of these advantages, the confinement is one of the main techniques for strengthening of concrete columns. However, depending on the shape of the cross section, the efficiency of the reinforcement can be impaired by the non-uniformity of the confinement pressure distribution. In the case of circular cross section columns, this distribution is uniform. Otherwise, in square and rectangular cross section columns, there is a pressure concentration at the cross section corners. In case of CFRP jackets, the pressure concentration leads to a premature rupture of the jacket, resulting in an inefficient reinforcement. Intending to consider the different confinement pressure distributions, a shape coefficient is applied to cross sections with distinguished shape from the circular one (for which this coefficient is equal to the unit), to correct the confinement pressure value. The corrected pressure is applied in theoretical evaluations of the column’s load carrying capacity. The main objective of work is to analyze the structural behavior of strengthened concrete columns with different shape cross-sections, evaluating the influences in the efficiency of the jacketing and in the ductility of the structural element. Experimental simulations were made in columns with the following cross section shapes: circular, square and rectangular with rounded corners, elliptical and a section composed by semicircles. The results demonstrated that an adequate shape of the cross-section is essential for a good performance of the strengthened columns. The cross sections that presented the best results were the circular, the elliptical and the one composed by semicircles