Compression behavior of GFRP reinforced hybrid fibre reinforced concrete short columns subjected to eccentric loading

This paper presents the results of an experimental study carried out on the GFRP reinforced hybrid fibre concrete short columns subjected to eccentric compression. In this study, hybrid fiber-reinforced concrete was prepared in different volume ratios of hybrid fibers and the cooperative effect of the GFRP reinforcement and the steel-PVA hybrid fibre concrete with different fibre ratios under eccentric loading was explored. 10 GFRP reinforced hybrid fibre concrete short columns and 2 plain reinforced concrete short columns were tested to investigated their eccentric compressive properties. The tests results are presented in terms of failure modes, longitudinal reinforcement strain, concrete compressive strain and compressive load capacity of GFRP reinforced hybrid fibre concrete eccentrically compressed short columns. The results show that the concrete on the compressed side was crushed when the specimen under both the initial eccentricity of 50 mm and 100 mm the reinforcement were pulled on the tension side of specimen under a larger initial eccentricity of 100 mm. The addition of fibres can effectively prevent the crack generation and development and improve the bonding property between reinforcement and concrete. Besides, the addition of steel fibre contributes a better performance on the ultimate compressive capacity of specimen under a lager initial eccentricity with an optimal ratio of steel fibre at 1.4 %. PVA fibre effectively improve the ductility of the concrete, so that the hybrid fibre concrete elements remain relatively its integrity after failure. Finally, considering the effect of GFRP reinforcement and different ratios of steel fibre and PVA fibre on the compressive capacity of short concrete columns, the equation for the calculation of the ultimate compressive capacity of partial sections of eccentric columns is proposed, and a good agreement was observed between the tested and calculated value.

Automated summary

This study investigated the cooperative effect of GFRP reinforcement and steel-PVA hybrid fibre concrete under eccentric loading. The addition of fibres effectively prevented crack generation and improved the bonding property between reinforcement and concrete. An equation for calculating the ultimate compressive capacity of eccentric columns was proposed, and good agreement was observed between the tested and calculated values.