A numerical model to study the seismic retrofit of RC columns with advanced composite jacketing

As recent earthquakes have highlighted, building and bridge columns are particularly vulnerable to failure and, therefore, their retrofit is specially important with the purpose of decreasing the seismic vulnerability of this kind of structures. This paper describes theoretical studies with design purposes on seismic retrofit of circular and rectangular columns poorly confined in flexural plastic hinge regions using advanced composite jacketing. For it, a simplified damage model based on continuum damage mechanics has been developed for seismic assessment and retrofit design of columns under flexural-axial combined load. The analytical model is validated through experimental tests performed on bridge columns.