Seismic Upgrade of Concrete Building

[EBF]

I have a 3 story concrete flat slab building supported on 24" diameter round columns at 20' o.c. in Northern California. I have been asked to look at the possibility of retrofitting the building by fiber-reinforcing the columns and using them as the lateral system for seismic loads. Has anyone heard of similar systems being used? Would this be considered a cantilever column system per the 2001 California Building Code? It seems to me that there would be some frame action between the flat slab and the columns. Does anyone know of any tests that have been done to study such a system? Thanks!

 

[jec67]

Give Fyfe Fibrwrap a call. The company is located in San Diego. They are well-versed in the subject.

 

[EBF]

Thanks for the tip. I was more concerned with the use of the concrete column/slab system, which isn't defined in the 2001 CBC. Does anyone have experience using such a system for seimic loads?

 

[pmkPE]

Check out CalTrans, they use fiber wrap on their bridge piers.

 

[toog]

For existing buildings, use FEMA 356. There are guidelines for the evaluation of slab-column moment frames.

 

[pmkPE]

Try FHWA web site:

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/frp/calcomp.htm