Numerical calibration of a simplified model for FRP confinement of columns

This paper presents the calibration of a simplified analytical model for concrete columns confined by fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) jackets. The model allows evaluating the increase of strength, ductility and dissipated energy without defining the lateral confinement pressure and it can be easily extended for the assessment of FRP confinement in design applications. This model was obtained by a simplified procedure based on the best fit of experimental data available in the literature and the coefficient of determination (R2) was evaluated in order to estimate the accuracy of the regression analysis. A numerical database resulting from finite element (FE) analyses was compiled and reported for integrating the model’s calibration obtained by the few experimental data. The FE models are built based on results of experimental tests available in the literature and several FE simulations are carried out. The experimental results are then integrated with numerical results and new forms of the simplified expressions are obtained by new best fit. The new values of R2 confirm an improvement of the accuracy of the regression analysis. Finally, the performance of the simplified model is compared with existing formulas available in the literature.