Stress-Strain Model for Fiber-Reinforced Polymer-Confined Concrete

The design of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP)-confined concrete members requires accurate evaluation of the performance enhancement due to the confinement provided by FRP composite jackets. A strain ductility-based model is developed for predicting the compressive behavior of normal strength concrete confined with FRP composite jackets. The model is applicable to both bonded and nonbonded FRP-confined concrete and can be separated into two components: a strain-softening component, which accounts for unrestrained internal crack propagation in the concrete core, and a strain-hardening component, which accounts for strength increase due to confinement provided by the FRP composite jacket. A variable strain ductility ratio described in a companion paper is used to develop the proposed stress-strain model. Equilibrium and strain compatibility are used to obtain the ultimate compressive strength and strain of FRP-confined concrete as a function of the confining stiffness and ultimate strain of the FRP jacket.