Sensitivity analysis of parameters affecting the seismic performance of RC columns strengthened by fabric-reinforced cementitious mortar

In recent years, fabric-reinforced cementitious mortar (FRCM) has emerged as a popular choice for strengthening reinforced concrete and masonry structures due to several advantages over conventional fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites. Particularly, the enhancement of Reinforced Concrete (RC) columns using FRCM composites has garnered significant attention. While experimental investigations are crucial for assessing the effectiveness of FRCM, physical experiments are often resource-intensive and time-consuming. Therefore, this study seeks to investigate the impact of various design parameters on the performance of RC columns strengthened with FRCM under low-amplitude cyclic loads simulating earthquakes through Finite Element (FE) analysis. The FE model, incorporating columns and FRCM strengthening materials, was developed using the DIANA 10.5 program. To assess the reliability of the model, analytical results were compared with experimental findings from a previous study, focusing on lateral strength, hysteresis behavior, and failure modes. The validation outcomes demonstrated a reasonable correlation between the test and numerical results. Subsequently, a sensitivity analysis was conducted to explore the influence of input parameters, such as concrete compressive strength, fabric reinforcement quantity, longitudinal reinforcement ratio of the columns, and pre-axial loading levels, on the seismic performance of RC columns reinforced with FRCM. The findings of the sensitivity analysis were discussed in detail.