Strengthening and stabilization of

steel-concrete structures

Prabha Mohandoss Ph.D.

CEPE12 – Maintenance and Rehabilitation of Structures
Department of Civil Engineering
National Institute of Technology Tiruchirappalli, Trichy 620015
Courtesy: Some images are sourced from the internet for demonstration purposes.
Outline of Module on
Strengthening & Stabilization
▪ Introduction
▪ Strengthening of beams and slabs
▪ Strengthening of columns and walls
Common types of column failure

Compression failure Buckling failure Shear failure

Web
Different methods to strengthen columns
▪ Compressive strengthening by enlargement
▪ Shear strengthening using shear collars
▪ Beam-column joint strengthening
▪ Confinement strengthening
 Compressive strengthening by enlargement
(Methods A, B, and C)
Method A Method B Method C

Existing New
Existing New Existing

Drypack the spacing between column and

member after adequate drying shrinkage
Existing member

has occurred.

Section enlargement

Typical elevation
Peter. H. Emmerson (1993)
Compressive strengthening using section
enlargement / column jacketing
▪ Props should be provided adjacent to all the columns
• Load gets transferred directly to ground (not through columns under repair)
▪ Prepare the surface for good bond with new concrete
▪ Apply the bond coat to concrete and steel to make new and old
concrete to work together.
▪ Provide shear reinforcement to integrate with old and new concretes
• Drill holes to sufficient depths along the height of the column
• Clean the holes, inject epoxy from foil packs and insert the reinforcement bars.
• Allow the epoxy to cure
• Additional column reinforcement with required stirrups.
▪ Fabricate and erect watertight shuttering.
▪ Place concrete
• Self-compacting/free flowing concrete – before the bond coat dries up.
▪ Cure the concrete
• Plastering may not be required if SCC is used or if good formwork is used
Newman (2001)
Strengthening of column using concrete
jacketing - microconcrete

Micro concrete for

concrete jacketing

Courtesy: Mr. Gangadharan Manari

Strengthening of bridge pier using column
jacketing

https://4.imimg.com/data4/CW/MM/MY-75588/railway-bridge-rehabilitation-500x500.jpg
Repair system must be selected in a way that
the repair work is easy, fast and of high
quality
▪ Column strengthening in a 3-story building
▪ Erection of longitudinal reinforcement
▪ Shear connectors
• 8 mm diameter bars
• Holes : 14 mm diameter;
• Depth – 90 mm @ 500mm c/c in
staggered form
▪ Form work
• Slurry tight and strong Plastic form work
can be used
• Adequate support should be provided
▪ Grouting materials for filing the holes
• Non shrink Epoxy grout (ASTM C 827) Shear connector
• Flowable consistency – 30 mins
▪ Concrete Through holes OR
• Self Compacting Concrete shallow fastening system?
Shear capacity strengthening using collars
- resisting punching shear
Inadequate shear capacity at
Slab column slab connection

Erection of friction
fit shear collar

Column

The connection of floor systems and columns is critical to

resist punching shear
Peter. H. Emmons (1993)
Shear capacity strengthening using collars
- resisting punching shear

After erection of friction fit

collar place non shrink grout
to provide for uniform load
transfer.

Punching shear stresses are reduced by increasing

the effective area of shear transfer interfaces.

Peter. H. Emmons (1993)

Shear capacity strengthening using shear
collars – case study
• Collars and column capitals installed at the interior columns to
prevent punching shear
― Size varies depending on the enhancement required

http://db.concretecoalition.org/building/138
https://franklinbd.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Structural-Rehabilitation-COLUMN-CAPITAL-USING-STEEL-PLATES-svc3.jpg
Beam-column joint strengthening
▪ Failure of beam-column joints
• Principal cause of collapse of many moment-resisting frame
buildings during earthquakes
▪ Strengthening the column only is generally not sufficient
because the joint then becomes the next weakest link due to
• lack of transverse reinforcement
• discontinuous beam bottom reinforcement
• other nonductile detailing

Murat Engindeniz (2005)

Strengthening of beam-column joint can be
done
▪ Bonded steel members
▪ Shear wall construction
▪ Concrete overlay
▪ Continuous external column confinement

Peter. H. Emmons (1993)

Strengthening of beam-column joints using
bonded steel plates
Column

Beam

Steel plate assembly

compositely fastened to
existing concrete
members

Peter. H. Emmons (1993)

Beam-column joints using bonded steel
plates

Due to plastic property of steel, ductility and energy dissipation capacity

of joints strengthened with bonded steel are higher than those of column
enlarging section method.
https://www.horseen.com/project/rc-column-beam-strengthened-enlarged-section-bonded-steel-plate
Strengthening of beam-column joints using
FRP confinement
▪ Continuous external column
confinement

http://www.compositesworld.com/articles/composites-and-polymer-concrete-refine-mining-processes-for-nonferrous-metal
Strengthening punching shear and moment
capacity of beam-column joints
▪ Cast-in-place drop panels

Cast in place drop panels to increase punching shear and bending moment capacities
http://www.structural.net
Strengthening capacity against negative
bending moment
▪ Surface grooves and additional reinforcement

Surface grooves cut for NSM CFRP rods for negative moment bending upgrade
http://www.structural.net
Problems with lack of sufficient
confinement

http://ngdc.noaa.gov/hazardimages/picture/show/456
Column confinement
– Passive and active systems
Method A (Passive)
Lateral motion
caused by earth Steel jacket
movement Cross Cement grout
bent Existing RC column

New external jacket

Method B (Active) Field-Wrapped
fibreglass jacket
Cement/resin grout;
Bridge Column Existing RC column pressurized annular
space to prestress
fiberglass

Footing

Peter. H. Emmons, 1993

Column confinement
– Passive and active systems

Passive system Active system

http://www.structuremag.org/article.aspx?articleID=376
Stress reduction techniques for columns
Effect of ground movement is
Existing column Building loads
quieted using isolated bearing

Isolation of new
Isolation of
new bearing
bearing Deformation of
isolation bearing
during lateral
Shore and
remove
ground
section of movement
column

Soil Footing

Peter. H. Emmons (1993)

 Stress reduction techniques for columns
• Lateral ground movement isolation (base/seismic isolation)
Concrete column

Steel collar and bearing plate

Flat jack for prestressing of elastomeric
bearing
Elastomeric bearing laminated with steel
plates (seismic isolators)

Steel collar and bearing plate

Peter. H. Emmons (1993)

Base isolation with elastomeric bearings
between the building and foundation
▪ Sabiha Gokcen International Airport, Istanbul, Turkey.

http://www.seismicisolation.com/
Base isolation with elastomeric bearings
between the building and foundation (cont’d.)
▪ Sabiha Gokcen International Airport, Istanbul, Turkey.

http://www.seismicisolation.com/
Base isolation with metallic roller bearing
between the building and foundation
▪ A 17-storey apartment building, Tokyo.

http://www.okumuragumi.co.jp/en/technology/building.html
Different failure modes in walls
▪ Defect due to flexural loads
• Additional live loads
• Wind
• Impact
• Result of insufficient lateral reinforcement
▪ Damage from impact or explosion
• Sudden impact damage
• Vehicle strikes
• Blast damage
• Accidental damage from other structural
members
▪ Cracking due to
• Settlement of foundations
• Thermal movement
https://www.uk.weber/technical-mortars/strengthening-walls
Methods to strengthen concrete walls

▪ Retrofitting by steel sections: coupled steel plate shear walls

• Sufficient anchorage between steel and concrete is needed

https://theconstructor.org/practical-guide/strengthen-concrete-walls/1938/
Methods to strengthen the concrete wall
(cont’d.)
▪ Concrete Jacketing New shear wall
• Increased wall
thickness
• Additional steel
reinforcement to Dowels in
increase strength existing frame
and ductility Members

• Foundation needs
to be strengthened
to carry the New
reinforcement
additional load

Wall footing tied to

existing footing
Shear walls with dowels

https://theconstructor.org/practical-guide/strengthen-concrete-walls/1938/
Beam-column moment capacity
strengthening
▪ Shear wall – lateral load resistant system
• Concrete shear walls provide necessary support at beam-
column joints during lateral movements during earthquakes

Beam Concrete shear walls added

to existing columns and
bearings

Footing

http://www.structuremag.org/article.aspx?articleID=376
Strengthening the load bearing walls

▪ School building
▪ Meshes are nailed (clamped) onto existing walls
• using 6 mm steel rebars and donut-shaped steel plates anchored
with grout within these walls

Steel mesh application on Fibre glass mesh application on the

the site (interior leafs) site (exterior leafs)
Proenca et al. (2012)
Strengthening of walls by shotcreting

• Kilani Health Care Institute (Farah hospital) in Amman, Jordan

Application of shotcrete

Elevator walls before (left) and after (right) the repairing works
Altakroury (2014)
Wall strengthening

Existing Masonry retaining

wall on concrete
New concrete
retaining wall
cast next to
existing Earth pressure

Underdesigned retaining wall

Peter. H. Emmons (1993)

 Strengthening of collapsed retaining wall

• Addition of new reinforcement and concrete

https://www.buildaustralia.com.au/product_news/remedies-collapsed-retaining-walls/3
 Wall strengthening

Steel WF frame Earth pressure

anchored to slabs

Steel wedges and

drypacking used to Wall buckled
transfer loads to new from excessive
steel frame soil pressure

Peter. H. Emmons, 1993

Summary
▪ Types of column failure
- Compression
- Buckling
- Shear
▪ Column strengthening
- Compressive strengthening by enlargement
- Shear capacity strengthening using shear collars
- Beam-column moment capacity strengthening
- Confinement strengthening
▪ Wall strengthening
- Failure modes of walls
- Different strengthening methods
References
▪ Emmons, P. H. (1993), Concrete Repair and Maintenance
Illustrated, RS Means Inc., Kingston, MA, USA.
▪ Newman A. (2001), ‘Structural Renovation of Buildings’, McGraw-
Hill, New York, USA.
▪ Proenca, J. M., Gago, A. S. and Costa, A. V. (2012), Strengthening
of masonry wall load bearing structures with reinforced plastering
mortar solution, 15 WCEE LISBOA.
▪ Engindeniz, M (2005), Repair and Strengthening of Reinforced
Concrete Beam-Column Joints, ACI structural journal.
▪ Altakroury, S. F. (2014), Application of Shotcrete in Concrete Repair
and Rehabilitation Works - Farah Hospital’s Extension Building
Case Study.
▪ Hussain, M. A. and Driver, G. (2004), Experimental study on the
seismic performance of externally confined reinforced concrete
columns, 13th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering,
Vancouver, B.C., Canada, August 1-6, Paper no. 578.