Repair and Retrofit of RC Bridge Piers with Steel-Reinforced Grout Jackets: An Experimental Investigation

Abstract

Many concrete bridges around the world have passed their service life and are at high risk of collapse, especially in active seismic regions. This is particularly true in many developing and underdeveloped countries, where deficient construction and underpreparedness would result in a major catastrophe should a major seismic event occur. Thus, there lies a need to introduce an efficient, cost-effective, and readily available method of bridge rehabilitation. In this study, steel-reinforced grout (SRG) jacketing is used as a seismic strengthening technique for reinforced concrete bridge piers. Two bridge piers, one seismically damaged and one seismically deficient, were jacketed with SRG and then tested to observe their seismic response. The findings from the experimental program revealed that SRG jacketing can rehabilitate/repair a damaged bridge pier, and restore its flexural capacity, energy dissipation capacity, and ductility. While strengthening a seismically deficient pier, results showed that the flexural capacity and energy dissipation capacity could be improved, and ductility could be enhanced.