Economic Analyses for Low-Strength Concrete Wrapped with CFRP to Improve the Mechanical Properties and Seismic Parameters

Abstract

One of the current approaches for retrofitting concrete is fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites wrapping. As far as cost concerns, one of the issues that may raise questions using FRP is the effectiveness of this approach to improve mechanical properties and seismic parameters. For this reason, economic assessment is used to figure out the strength and weakness points of low-strength concrete retrofitting to determine the options that can provide a unique approach to achieve the objectives of the economic analysis and reduction. Therefore, the experiment was prepared to measure mechanical parameters. Three low cement content samples (75, 150, and 225 kg/m3) were made to measure the economic aspects of low-strength concrete wrapped with carbon fiber–reinforced polymers (CFRP). The samples were prepared in two different geometrical configurations: cubic and cylindrical. Specimens were tested under longitudinal compressive loading. Four types of samples were considered: zero, one, three, and five layers of CFRP wrapping. The analysis illustrates that using CFRP wrapping to improve mechanical properties and seismic parameters is more economical on those samples with higher cement content and/or strength. This outcome can be shown with only one layer of CFRP wrapping in most of our case studies. A statistical approach was used to analyze economically the effect of the number of FRP layers and the cement content on mechanical properties and seismic behavior.