Effect of Wrapping Thickness and Type on Reinforced Bridge Piers: A Numerical Study

Abstract

This research paper investigates the impact of wrapping thickness and type on reinforced bridge piers through a numerical study. The Incesu bridge, located in the Ardanuç district of Artvin province, was selected as the case study, as it was completed with low concrete strength. Initially, the bridge was examined, revealing that the piers were inadequate against dynamic, dead, pedestrian, and covering loads. The study concentrated on employing carbon fiber reinforced polymer to reinforce the bridge piers. Various models were wrapped with carbon fiber reinforced polymer in full-length, half-length, and one-meter intervals. In the analysis, it is assumed that the wraps are linked to each other in both principal directions and not detached from one another. Along with the analyses conducted, stress and strain values are presented separately. It was observed that the wrapping effect obtained in small-sized elements in literature could not be obtained in large-sized elements. As the concrete quality improves, the influence of wrapping thickness diminishes. Moreover, the effects of full-length and half-length wrapping are very close to each other, suggesting that half-length wrapping of bridge piers is sufficient. The authors believe that the obtained analysis results will prove beneficial in achieving economic advantages in retrofitting projects within the construction sector.