Experimental Investigation of Concrete Columns Wrapped with Shape Memory Alloy Spirals

This experimental work focuses on enhancing the seismic performance of reinforced concrete (RC) columns by using innovative active confinement technique. Spirals made of Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) are utilized to provide the active confining pressure. The proposed technique is investigated experimentally through the testing of two reduced-scale columns under quasi-static cyclic loading. One of the columns is confined passively using glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) sheets while the other is confined using a reduced number of GFRP sheets in addition to prestressed SMA spirals. The confining pressure on both columns is designed to be the same. The results show significant increase in the energy dissipation and ductility of the column wrapped with SMA spirals compared to that with GFRP sheets.