Published Paper Details:

Until recently, repair and retrofit options were limited and costly. The usual solution for a sick building is to add steel beams underneath sagging floors and a concrete topping. But while this method may achieve its objective, the cost, disruption to utility services, and unsightly steel work may be unacceptable to building occupants and owners. Rather than face these obstacles, some owners opt to tear down and start from scratch. Alternative retrofitting technique by FRP wrapping has an advantage due to lightweight, flexibility, non-welding, and easy handling in construction works. The most preferable retrofitting technique for the existing building being in use is jacketing RC columns with carbon or aramid fiber sheets because of the advantage above. Retrofitting of existing concrete structures has become an important issue nowadays in the construction industry. Such necessity had been caused by several factors, especially when concrete is subjected to severe environmental and loading conditions. In such situations, the remedy is either to demolish the existing structure and construct a new one or to retrofit the existing structure by an appropriate strengthening methodology. The analysis of simply supported concrete beam externally wrapped with aramid fiber reinforcement polymer (AFRP) and basalt fiber reinforcement polymer (BFRP) unidirectional sheet is carried out. The wrapped and unwrapped specimens were loaded. Result shows that externally wrapping of simply supported concrete beam by AFRP and BFRP sheets can significantly enhance flexural strength.