Cyclic performance of non‐ductile reinforced concrete columns retrofitted by partial steel plate jacketing: Experiment and numerical analysis

Abstract This paper investigates the strengthening of non‐ductile reinforced concrete (RC) columns using partial steel‐plate jacketing to enhance ductile capacity. Quasi‐static cyclic loading tests were conducted on three rectangular RC columns with varying shear‐span‐to‐depth ratios, evaluating the effectiveness of steel‐plate jacketing. Results show improved ductile flexural response, high drift capacity, and maintained gravity‐loading capacity under high lateral displacements. A numerical investigation, adopting a multi‐spring fiber section model, predicted cyclic lateral strength, drift ratio, and failure mode, accurately simulating reinforcement behavior and capturing the shear‐strength enhancement due to steel‐plate jacketing. Numerical results demonstrated good agreement with experimental findings. Based on these outcomes, a simple design procedure for retrofitted concrete columns, applicable to design engineers, has been developed and reported in this paper. This study contributes valuable insights into the practical applications of steel‐plate jacketing for non‐ductile RC column retrofitting, offering a comprehensive approach to predicting their seismic performance.