Tests and modeling of carbon-wrapped concrete columns

There is an urgent need for models that can accurately predict performance of fiber-wrapped concrete columns. Axial compression tests on a total of 45 carbon-wrapped concrete stubs of two batches of normal and high-strength concrete and Eve different number of wraps were used to verify a confinement model, which was originally developed for concrete-filled glass FRP tubes. Also, a nonlinear finite element model with a non-associative Drucker-Prager plasticity was developed. Both models compared favorably with test results. It was concluded that the adhesive bond between concrete and the wrap would not significantly affect the confinement behavior. Moreover, the same confinement model can be applied to carbon and glass fibers, as long as the model has incorporated the dilation tendency of concrete as a function of the stiffness of the jacket. However, it is of utmost importance to establish the effective hoop rupture strain of the wrap through a reliability analysis by setting proper confidence level for design purposes. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.