Procedia Engineering 54 ( 2013 ) 720 728

1877-7058 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Selection and peer-review under responsibility of Department of Civil Engineering, Sebelas Maret University
doi: 10.1016/j.proeng.2013.03.066
The 2
nd
International Conference on Rehabilitation and Maintenance in Civil Engineering
Ferrocement Jacketing for Restrengthening of Square Reinforced Concrete
Column under Concentric Compressive Load
A. B. M. Amrul Kaish
a*
, M. R. Alam
b
, M. Jamil
c
and M. A. Wahed
d

a,c
Faculty of Engineering & Built Environment,National University of Malaysia, Malaysia.
b
Dept. of Civil Engineering, Chittagong University of Engineering &Technology, Chittagong, Bangladesh.
d
SECD, Housing and Building Research Institute, Bangladesh.

Abstract
This study focuses on the improvement of square jacketing technique in effective
provide lateral confinement due to stress concentration and subsequent cracking at the corners.
In order to overcome this problem, two different approaches are taken into account; i.e. (a)
strengthen all the corners, and (b) reducing stress concentrations at corners. Three types of
square jacketing techniques under these two approaches are considered in this study. Test
results and crack pattern shows that, both approaches are effective to overcome the stress
concentration problem of square jacketing. However, the first approach is practically more
suitable than the second one.

2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of
Department of Civil Engineering, Sebelas Maret University

Keywords: column jacketing; ferrocement; ductility; restrengthening; wire mesh; concentric load.
1. Introduction
Column is one of the most important structural elements, which is designed to
support mainly the compressive load (Hasan, et. al., 2011). Prostration of building
column leads to total failure of a building, as only through that element, vertical loads
are transferred to the ground (Kaish & Hasan, 2008). Lateral confinement by means of
lateral individual ties or continuous spiral in RC column enhances the performance of
the same against axial as well as lateral loads (Rajasekaran, et. al., 2008). It is also

* Corresponding author.
E-mail address: amrul.cuet@gmail.com
Available online at www.sciencedirect.com
2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of Department of Civil Engineering, Sebelas Maret University
721 A. B. M. Amrul Kaish et al. / Procedia Engineering 54 ( 2013 ) 720 728
necessary to provide lateral confinement to ensure large deformation under load.
Sometimes additional confinement may be necessary in case of restrengthening or
rehabilitating of existing substandard columns. It is also demanding to provide
supplementary confinement in case of vertical extension of existing buildings.
External confinement can be done using RC, Steel or FRP. In developing countries
like Bangladesh, Ferrocement can be effective strengthening tools for RC columns.
Manufacturing of Ferrocement is very easy and needs no advanced techniques (Kazemi
& Morshed, 2005). Low material cost, special fire and corrosion protection features
makes it an ideal means of jacketing in developing countries like Bangladesh
(Williamson, R.B., & F.L. Fisher, 1983; (ACI 549.1R-93).
Usually square/rectangular RC (Reinforced Concrete) column is not restrengthened
confinement due to stress concentration and subsequent cracking at the corners of
column and bulging out of jacket (Tsai & Lin, 2001; Chyuan & Lin, 2002). Effectively
confined concrete by square or rectangular jacket is shown in figure 1.

Figure 1. Effectively confined concrete in a square column.
A scientific and suitable approach is necessitated to overcome the problem of stress
distribution in case of square jacketing technique. Making full section of column
effective is necessary to get an efficient square jacketing technique. In order to make the
whole cross-section effective, two measures can be taken; (a) strengthen all the corners,
and (b) reducing stress concentrations at corners. In recent years, researchers are trying
to overcome this problem of square jacketing technique. Investigations were carried out
to reduce the stress concentration at the corner of FRP strengthened square columns.
Published researches show that, jacketing with rounded corner gives certain degrees of
confinement by reducing stress concentration at corners (Al-Salloum, Y. A. 2006, Wang
L., 2007). Limited studies were reported for the similar work in case of Ferrocement
strengthened RC column. There is no detailed study reported in case of strengthen the
corners of Ferrocement jacketed RC column.

722 A. B. M. Amrul Kaish et al. / Procedia Engineering 54 ( 2013 ) 720 728
This study focuses on the improvement of square jacketing technique using both
measures (a) and (b) in effective restrengthening of existing RC building columns.
Three different types of square jacketing technique are taken into account to find out an
efficient square Ferrocement jacket.

Figure 2. Jacketing techniques, (a) SL, (b) SLTL (c) RSL.
2. Experimental Procedure
Experimental investigation of eight square columns (six jacketed and two non-
jacketed columns (as benchmark specimen and denoted as NJ)) was done under
concentric compressive load until failure. Three types of jacketing technique are taken
into consideration, such as; (i) Square jacketing with single layer wire mesh (denoted as
SL); (ii) Square jacketing with single layer wire mesh and rounded column corners
(denoted as RSL); and (iii) Square jacketing with single layer wire mesh and two extra
layers mesh at each corner (denoted as SLTL). Details of all jacketing techniques are
shown in figure 2.
2.1. Materials
2.1.1. Cement
Grade 43 Ordinary Portland cement (OPC) confirming Type I of ASTM C-150 was
used for both casting of test specimens and ferrocement jacket.
2.1.2. Aggregates
Locally available 12 mm downgraded crushed stone was used as coarse aggregate.
Coarse sand with Fineness Modulus (F.M.) and specific gravity of 2.70 and 2.61,
respectively, was used as fine aggregate for preparing test specimens. Same type of sand
conforming ACI 549.1R-93 and ASTM C33 was used in casting ferrocement jacket.
2.1.3. Mix Proportion
The mix design was designed for sand to aggregate volume ratio = 0.44, cement
content = 340 kg/m
3
, air content = 2%, and water to binder ratio = 0.45. Saturated and
surface fine and coarse aggregate were taken before mixing. Target strength was fixed
as 24 MPa, which was confirmed by 28 days cylinder test.

723 A. B. M. Amrul Kaish et al. / Procedia Engineering 54 ( 2013 ) 720 728
2.2. Casting of RC columns
Details of both benchmark and jacketed column specimens are shown in Figure 3.


Figure 3. Column specimen details, (a) Non-jacketed column, (b) Ferrocement jacketed column, (c)
Section A-A, (d) Section B-B, (e) Cross-section C-C.
Short column specimen of size 600 mm long and cross section of 100x100 mm
2
was
taken. 4- 8mm (dia.) deformed longitudinal reinforcements and 5mm (dia.) seismic
tie bar spaced at 100 mm in middle and 50 mm at top-bottom were placed in all
specimens.
Cement and aggregates were mixed manually and thoroughly in dry state first, and
then water was added and mixed uniformly. Workability of concrete was checked by
slump test. Column specimens were then cast and it was de-moulded after 24 hours of
casting.
724 A. B. M. Amrul Kaish et al. / Procedia Engineering 54 ( 2013 ) 720 728
2.3. Ferrocement Jacketing
RC columns were jacketed with different types of ferrocement jacketing after 7 days
of casting. Final size of jacketed specimens was 124mm including 12 mm ferrocement
jacket. 20 BWG (British Standard Wire Gauge) woven GI (Galvanized Iron) wire mesh
of 12mm square opening was used in this study. Wire mesh was kept at the middle of
jacket layer with a covering of 6 mm in both exterior and interface surfaces.

Figure 4. Test setup and Dial Gauge positions.
A gap of 3 mm was kept at both the top and bottom of the specimen to avoid direct
compression on the ferrocement jacket. All columns, after completing jacketing work,
were cured in the water for 28 day from the date of casting.
2.4. Testing of Specimens
After curing, all columns are tested under monotonically increasing concentric load
applied at the top with a hydraulic compression testing machine of capacity 2000 kN.
Both benchmark and jacketed specimens are tested until failure. Axial deflection and
lateral bulging of columns were measured using dial gauges within the accuracy of
0.0001 inch (0.00254 mm). Test set up and the positions of dial gauges are shown in
Figure 4.
3. Test Results and Discussion
Experimental results of axial loading test of both the benchmark and jacketed
specimens are discussed in the succeeding sections.
3.1. Ultimate Load Carrying Capacity
All ferrocement jacketed specimen shows higher ultimate axial load than benchmark
specimen. Table 1 shows the average ultimate load carrying capacity of all tested
specimens. Type RSL specimen shows slightly higher carrying capacity than type SL
725 A. B. M. Amrul Kaish et al. / Procedia Engineering 54 ( 2013 ) 720 728
due to rounding the corners, which makes the section more effective by reducing stress
concentration at corners. However, this increment is slight because of decreasing the
cross section of column by rounding the corners. Type SLTL specimen shows the
highest carrying capacity than all types of specimen as this specimen has two extra
layers wire mesh at each corner and no decrement of original column cross section. The
increased carrying capacities obtained are 28.86%, 32.22% and 44.68% for SL, RSL
and SLTL type specimens, respectively.


Table 1. Average ultimate load carrying capacity of tested specimens.
Sl No. Specimen Type
Ultimate load of encased
specimens (kN)
Difference of loading
(%)
1 NJ 290.84 -
2 SL 374.77 28.86
3 RSL 384.55 32.22
4 SLTL 420.8 44.68




Table 2. Average ultimate vertical and lateral deflection of tested specimens.
S
l
.

N
o
.

S
p
e
c
i
m
e
n

T
y
p
e

U
l
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e

v
e
r
t
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c
a
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d
e
f
l
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t
i
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n

o
f

e
n
c
a
s
e
d

s
p
e
c
i
m
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s

(
m
m
)

I
n
c
r
e
m
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n
t

i
n

v
e
r
t
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a
l

d
e
f
l
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n

(
%
)

U
l
t
i
m
a
t
e

l
a
t
e
r
a
l

d
e
f
l
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t
i
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n

o
f

e
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a
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e
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s
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s

(
m
m
)

I
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l
a
t
e
r
a
l

d
e
f
l
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c
t
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(
%
)

1 NJ 2.72 0.00 - -
2 SL 3.42 25.74 0.482 -
3 RSL 4.06 49.26 0.861 78.63
4 SLTL 4.45 63.60 1.013 110.17

726 A. B. M. Amrul Kaish et al. / Procedia Engineering 54 ( 2013 ) 720 728

Figure 5. Typical Load-Deflection curve.


3.2. Deflection Response
Alike ultimate axial load, all jacketed specimens show higher ultimate axial
deflection, i.e. axial ductility than benchmark specimen. Table 2 shows the average
ultimate axial deflection of all tested specimens. Lateral bulging at the middle of face at
mid height of all jacketed specimens are also given in Table 2. It is clear from the table,
type SLTL shows highest value of both axial and lateral deflection. In case of type RSL,
lateral deflection is greater than type SL. Increment in lateral deflection in case of type
SLTL and type RSL are 78.63% and 110.17%, respectively. This increment in lateral
deflection indicates that type SLTL and type RSL are more effective than type SL. So
-RSL-
square jacketing.
Typical Load-Deflection curve of each type of tested specimens is shown in figure 5.
It is clear from the curve; all jacketed specimens are more ductile than non-jacketed
specimen. In case of jacketed specimens, type RSL and type SLTL are more ductile than
type SL.
3.3. Failure Pattern
Typical failure pattern of tested columns are shown in figure 6. It is seen that non-
jacketed column starts to fail by crushing of concrete at the point of application of load.
On the other hand, all jacketed columns start to fail from ferrocement jacket. In type SL
specimen, cracking of corner occurs due to stress concentration at corners. In case of
type RSL specimen, cracking occurs at both the corner and the middle of each face.
Rounding the corner of type RSL specimen reduces the stress concentration at corners
and makes the middle of face effective.
727 A. B. M. Amrul Kaish et al. / Procedia Engineering 54 ( 2013 ) 720 728

(a) (b) (c) (d)
Figure 6. Typical failure pattern
Crack width at both the corner and the middle of face in this type, are almost similar.
However, in case of type SLTL specimen, cracking occurs at the middle of each face.
Hairline corner cracks are also observed in one of this type specimen. Two extra layer
wire mesh in this type of jacketing, strengthens the corner that makes the middle of each
face effective in transferring the stress.
4. Conclusion
From the experimental investigation of small scale ferrocement jacketed RC column
under concentric load, the following concluding remarks could be made:
Ferrocement jacketing improves the ultimate load carrying capacity and
increases the ultimate axial deflection of RC column.
Square Ferrocement jacketing technique could be used effectively, if proper
jacketing scheme is introduced.
Both approach [(a) strengthen all the corners, and (b) reducing stress
concentrations at corners] are effective to overcome the stress concentration
problem of square jacketing.
Type SLTL square jacketing is the most effective square jacketing scheme
among other types used in this study.
Crack pattern of tested specimen also confirm that type SLTL and type RSL
square jacketing technique are more effective than type SL jacketing.
728 A. B. M. Amrul Kaish et al. / Procedia Engineering 54 ( 2013 ) 720 728
Acknowlegement
This study is a part of research work of the first author that is carrying out under the
Institute (HBRI), Bangladesh.
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