This study proposes an externally attached Concrete Filled Steel Tube (CFT) seismic retrofitting method for low-rise reinforced concrete buildings that lack seismic detailing. It aims to validate the structural effectiveness and advantages of this met...
This study proposes an externally attached Concrete Filled Steel Tube (CFT) seismic retrofitting method for low-rise reinforced concrete buildings that lack seismic detailing. It aims to validate the structural effectiveness and advantages of this method through a series of performance experiments.
The externally attached CFT retrofitting method addresses the limitations of traditional approaches, such as section enlargement. By being installed on the exterior of buildings with inadequate seismic performance, this method enhances both strength and ductility. Additionally, it reduces construction time compared to conventional methods by minimizing wet processes and allows for seismic retrofitting without disrupting the use of interior spaces.
The suitability of the proposed method was evaluated in four stages. The first stage focused on the connection joint to the existing structure. Given that this method relies on post-installed anchors, understanding their performance is critical. Concrete blocks were created, and tensile and shear tests were conducted on single post-installed anchors. The results showed that the average design strength was surpassed, with acceptable values for both standard deviation and coefficient of variation.
The second stage assessed the shear performance of post-installed anchors situated between structural members through vertical joint shear tests. Findings indicated that anchors embedded within the concrete exhibited significantly higher strength than single anchors.
Furthermore, specimens coated with epoxy demonstrated a greater strength-enhancing effect when using the same anchors. These results suggest that applying epoxy between the existing structure and the base plate is beneficial for structural integration.
In the third stage, the seismic performance improvement of the externally attached CFT was analyzed by fabricating single members and evaluating their performance before and after reinforcement. The experiments revealed that the yield load increased to approximately 105% to 125% of the reference specimen, while the maximum load rose to 110% to 140%. Although energy dissipation capacity varied with each cycle, the average value increased by approximately 1.09 to
1.57 times, indicating significant energy absorption due to the CFT reinforcement, attributed to enhanced strength and deformation capacity.
The final stage involved constructing a full-scale frame to evaluate the seismic performance improvement of the externally attached CFT method. Experimental results from the two-story reinforced frame indicated maximum strengths approximately 2.36 to 2.58 times greater than that of the reference specimen. The maximum strength varied by approximately 10% based on the presence of the foundation, suggesting that the anchoring effect between the existing and
reinforced members significantly contributes to strength enhancement.
Additionally, the energy dissipation capacity improved by approximately 2.2 to 2.25 times compared to the reference specimen.
In conclusion, the progressive verification confirms that the proposed method is suitable for the seismic retrofitting of low-rise reinforced concrete buildings.