Finite Element Analysis of Corrosion Tubular T-Joint Repaired with Grouted Clamp

A finite element (FE) analysis of corroded circular hollow section T-joints repaired using grouted clamps is presented in this study. To ensure an accurate simulation, experiments on a T-joint with uniform corrosion and an intact T-joint with grouted clamp are reproduced separately using an FE model. The experimental and FE modeling results correlate closely, displaying similar failure behaviors and load–displacement responses. Subsequently, a total of 56 FE T-joint models with varying degrees of corrosion on the chord, repaired by grouted clamp, were then analyzed numerically. The corrosion was artificially applied to the chord’s outer surface at depths of 10%, 20%, and 30% of the chord’s thickness. The models also account for variations in joint geometry, dictated by parameters β and γ, which range from 0.565 to 0.678 and from 21 to 28, respectively. Furthermore, grouted clamp’s properties were examined, including sleeve length, thickness, strength, as well as the thickness and strength of the grout, in relation to the complexity of the repair. The grouted clamp demonstrated significant repair capability, increasing the ultimate strength of the corroded joint by up to 2.23 times. Reinforcements that are both thicker and longer substantially enhance the joint’s ultimate strength. However, inappropriate repair construction results in an abrupt termination of the load–displacement curve and a brittle failure phenomenon outside reinforced chord region. Additional weight from the grouted clamp requires reasonable control, and sleeve overlapping ratio should be guaranteed to be greater than 0.7. The joint bearing capacity can be efficiently increased by thicker grouts and sleeves only in ductile failure cases. The confinement effect and mechanism of the grouted clamp in joint deformation were visually analyzed as stress distribution from FE analysis results. Finally, a prediction equation is proposed to estimate the static strength of the repaired joint through regression analysis.