Design of Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Materials for Seismic Rehabilitation of Infilled Concrete Structures

Of the government buildings located in high- or moderate-risk seismic zones, more than half were found vulnerable to damage during an earthquake. One rehabilitation technique that addresses vulnerabilities in both the masonry infills and in nonductile concrete frames is using fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP). An experimental program was conducted on reinforced concrete (RIC) frames infilled with masonry. Based on this research and related research in the field, this report was developed to provide in-depth guidelines for engineers and practitioners on how to evaluate the strength and stiffness of RIC members and masonry-infilled frames strengthened with FRP. The report's information was compiled and written following a logical sequence intended to help the engineer in the evaluation process. The second chapter outlines the steps that must be followed to obtain all the required material and geometrical properties of the structure to be evaluated. The following chapters present the load and deformation characteristics of RIC members strengthened with FRP. Next, the in-plane strength and stiffness evaluation procedures are shown for the lateral-force resisting system consisting of in-filled frames rehabilitated with FRP. The illustrative example in Appendix A summarizes the entire evaluation process, and Appendix B is a commentary on selected sections of the report.