Adequately FRP confined reinforced concrete columns under axial compressive monotonic or cyclic loading

The study presents the experimental behavior of reinforced concrete square section specimens, externally confined by carbon or glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) sheets. The columns are subjected to axial compressive monotonic or repeated load-unload cycles gradually increasing up to failure. The research focuses on columns with longitudinal bars which are critical to premature buckling while examining their effect on lower limit cases of strengthening through FRP confinement. Experiments include also plain concrete FRP confined columns and columns with bars adequately supported by transverse steel reinforcement for comparison. External FRP strengthening covers a wide range of volumetric mechanical FRP confinement ratios allowing comparative investigations. A significant variation in the behavior of FRP confined concrete comes up when bars are unstable, for a light external strengthening scheme as well as for monotonic or cyclic loading. The lower limits proposed by existing recommendations for adequate FRP confinement strengthening of columns are examined.