AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON REPAIR OF STEEL BRIDGE PILES USING GFRP CONCRETE-FILLED JACKET

Many bridges and structures in the United States that are supported on steel piles exhibit inadequate strength due to increasing load demand and aging due to corrosion The combination of increased load demand and reduction of capacity due to corrosion-induced section loss can lead to unexpected buckling of the piles. Several techniques are available to repair these structures to meet the increasing demand and enhance their safety. This thesis investigates the effectiveness of a glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP)-based system for rapid repair of buckled steel piles. The system consists of a GFRP tube, which is formed on-site and subsequently filled with an expansive concrete. Thirteen-buckled steel H-piles with varying degrees of section loss to simulate corrosion were repaired and tested to failure under axial loading. The research results show that the repair system can restore the capacity of the piles comparable to the undamaged conditions.Civil and Environmental Engineering, Department o