Corrosion-resistant Reinforced Concrete Columns

To address this issue of corrosion of steel in reinforced concrete, large scale columns reinforced with glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars were tested under simulated earthquake loads. In addition to the moment - curvature and shear - deflection responses, ductility factors, and work and energy dissipation parameters were used to evaluate column performance. Twenty-five columns with circular and square sections can be compared to investigate variables such as axial load level, amount and type of reinforcement, i.e. GFRP vs steel. GFRP-reinforced columns were found to behave with stable post-peak response and achieved high levels of deformability and energy dissipation. The optimum solution with respect to column strength, stiffness, ductility and energy dissipation, and corrosion resistance appears to be a hybrid column with steel longitudinal bars and GFRP transverse reinforcement.