Experimental Study on the Load Response of GFRP-Reinforced RC Short Columns under Concentric and Eccentric Loading Conditions

International Journal of Civil Engineering

© 2025 by SSRG - IJCE Journal

Volume 12 Issue 12

Year of Publication : 2025

Authors : Guruprasad T N, Suresh Babu K S, M H Prashanth

10.14445/23488352/IJCE-V12I12P101

How to Cite?

Guruprasad T N, Suresh Babu K S, M H Prashanth, "Experimental Study on the Load Response of GFRP-Reinforced RC Short Columns under Concentric and Eccentric Loading Conditions," SSRG International Journal of Civil Engineering, vol. 12,  no. 12, pp. 1-11, 2025. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/23488352/IJCE-V12I12P101

Abstract:

The present study is on the structural performance of Reinforced Concrete (RC) short columns with Glass-Fibre-Reinforcement Polymer (GFRP) bar reinforcement to evaluate their practicality as an alternative to the conventional steel reinforcement as a sustainable solution. GFRP reinforcement offers higher resistance to corrosion in hostile environments and a smaller carbon footprint compared to steel manufacturing. Twenty specimens of RC short columns with cross-sectional dimensions of 150 x 150 mm and a height of 1050 mm (slenderness ratio = 7) were prepared and tested in this work. The reinforcements were reinforced using GFRP and mild steel bars, and the axial concentric loading and an axial eccentric loading with eccentricities of 25 mm and 50 mm were performed to investigate the effect of the reinforcement percentage on the load-carrying capacity and the behavior of deformation. The findings indicated that the axial load-carrying capacity was almost 12 percent greater with GFRP-reinforced columns under concentric loading compared to steel-reinforced ones. Eccentric loading of GFRP reinforcement increased ductility and resistance to compressive stresses, which added to a better structural resistance. The results have shown that GFRP bars could be a valuable alternative to the steel reinforcement of RC short columns with both sufficient strength and improved durability and sustainability. This study enhances the experimental research findings on GFRP reinforcement use in RC applications and solidifies the necessity of additional large-scale research under different loading patterns.

Keywords:

GFRP bars, Loading conditions, Load–deformation behaviour, Short columns, Structural performance.

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