Eccentrically compressive behaviour of RC square short columns reinforced with a new composite method

A new composite reinforced method, namely self-compacting concrete filled circular CFRP-steel jacketing, was proposed in this paper. Experimental tests on eight RC square short columns reinforced with the new composite reinforced method and four RC square short columns reinforced with CFS jackets were conducted to investigate their eccentrically compressive behaviour. Nine reinforced columns were subjected to eccentrically compressive loading, while three reinforced columns were subjected to axial compressive loading as reference. The parameters investigated herein were the eccentricity of the compressive loading and the layer of CFRP. Subsequently, the failure mode, ultimate load, deformation and strain of these reinforced columns were discussed. Their failure modes included the excessive bending deformation, serious buckling of steel jackets, crush of concrete and fracture of CFRP. Moreover, these reinforced columns exhibited a ductile failure globally. Both the eccentricity of the compressive loading and the layer of CFRP had a significant effect on the eccentrically compressive behaviour of reinforced columns. Finally, formulae for the evaluation of the ultimate load of reinforced columns were proposed. The theoretical formulae based on the ultimate equilibrium theory provided an effective, acceptable and safe method for designers to calculate the ultimate load of reinforced columns under eccentrically compressive loading.