Retrofitting of RCC Residential Tower for Two Additional Floors

Abstract: The maintenance, rehabilitation and upgrading of structural members, is perhaps one of the most crucial problems in civil engineering applications. Moreover, a large number of structures constructed in the past using the older design codes in different parts of the world are structurally unsafe according to the new design codes. Since replacement of such deficient elements of structures incurs a huge amount of public money and time, strengthening has become the acceptable way of improving their load carrying capacity and extending their service lives. Infrastructure decay caused by premature deterioration of buildings and structures has led to the investigation of several processes for repairing or strengthening purposes. One of the challenges in strengthening of concrete structures is selection of a strengthening method that will enhance the strength and serviceability of the structure while addressing limitations such as constructability, building operations, and budget. Structural strengthening may be required due to many different situations. Retrofitting concrete structures is essential due to the aging and deterioration of infrastructure, exacerbated by advancements in construction technologies. Structural engineers encounter difficulties in selecting suitable methods or materials for retrofitting, which entails reinforcing existing structures with modern technology and features. This process can involve repair, rehabilitation, or strengthening, using techniques such as steel and concrete jacketing, fiber-reinforced polymer composites, shear walls, and shear cores. Typically, retrofitting methods increase stiffness and slightly add mass, necessitating redesign and column jacketing to adapt the structure to handle the additional load.