Structural Behavior of LC-GFRP Confined Waste Aggregate Concrete Square Columns with Sharp and Round Corners

Abstract

Reusing construction brick waste to fabricate new concrete is an economical and sustainable solution for the ever-increasing quantity of construction waste. However, the substandard mechanical properties of the concrete made using recycled crushed brick aggregates (RBAC) have limited its use mainly to non-structural applications. Several studies have shown that the axial compressive performance of the concrete is a function of the lateral confining pressure. Therefore, this study proposes to use low-cost glass fiber-reinforced polymer (LC-GFRP) wraps to improve the substandard compressive strength and ductility of RBAC. Thirty-two rectilinear RBAC specimens were constructed in this study and tested in two groups. The specimens in Group 1 were tested without the provision of a corner radius, whereas a corner radius of 26 mm was provided in the Group 2 specimens. Specimens in both groups demonstrated improved compressive behavior. However, the premature failure of LC-GFRP wraps near the sharp corners in Group 1 specimens undermined its efficacy. On the contrary, the stress concentrations were neutralized in almost all Group 2 specimens with a 26 mm corner radius, except low-strength specimen with six layers of LC-GFRP. As a result, Group 2 specimens demonstrated a more significant improvement in peak compressive strength and ultimate strain than Group 1 specimens. An analytical investigation was carried out to assess the efficiency of existing compressive stress–strain models to predict the peak compressive stress and ultimate of LC-GFRP-confined RBAC. Existing FRP models were found unreliable in predicting the key parameters in the stress–strain curves of LC-GFRP-confined RBAC. Equations were proposed by using nonlinear regression analysis, and the predicted values of the key parameters were found in good agreement with the corresponding experimental values.