A bibliometric overview of research on rehabilitation practices for fire-affected reinforced concrete structures

The rehabilitation of fire-damaged reinforced concrete (RC) structures has become increasingly important for ensuring the safety, serviceability, and sustainability of civil infrastructure. Exposure to elevated temperatures causes significant deterioration in the mechanical properties of concrete and reinforcing steel, leading to reductions in residual load-carrying capacity, stiffness, and durability. Consequently, effective post-fire assessment and rehabilitation are essential for extending the service life of damaged structures while minimising demolition and reconstruction costs. This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric and qualitative review of research published between 1998 and 2024 on the post-fire rehabilitation of reinforced concrete structures, with particular emphasis on RC beams, columns, beam–column joints, and frame systems. A total of 625 peer-reviewed publications were retrieved from the Scopus database using an expanded search strategy that incorporated keywords related to elevated temperature, fire-damaged concrete, post-fire assessment, rehabilitation, repair, strengthening, and retrofitting. The review first examines the behaviour of RC structures under elevated temperatures, followed by post-fire structural assessment methods, including residual strength evaluation, damage inspection, and non-destructive testing techniques. Subsequently, recent rehabilitation materials and strengthening systems, such as fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites, textile-reinforced mortar (TRM), ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC), geopolymer composites, and other sustainable repair materials, are critically reviewed with respect to their effectiveness in restoring structural performance. The bibliometric analysis further identifies global research trends, collaboration networks, influential publications, and emerging research themes in post-fire rehabilitation. Finally, the review highlights key research gaps, including the limited number of post-fire rehabilitation studies on beam–column joints and full-scale RC frame systems, the insufficient integration of non-destructive assessment with rehabilitation decision-making, and the need for sustainable rehabilitation materials. The findings provide a comprehensive reference for researchers, practicing engineers, and policymakers involved in the assessment, repair, and rehabilitation of reinforced concrete structures subjected to fire and elevated-temperature exposure.