Seismic Retrofitting Methods of

Reinforced Concrete Buildings

Pankaj Agarwal, Ph. D

Department of Earthquake Engineering

Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee
Roorkee - 247667
 Why Retrofitting?

• Extensive damage to innumerable RC buildings of

varying degree, causes irreparable loss of life

• As a result frightened occupants may refuse to enter the

building unless assured of the safety of building from
future earthquakes

• It has been observed that majority of such earthquake

damaged buildings may be safely reused if they are
converted into seismically resistant structures by
employing retrofitting measures
 Why Retrofitting?

• This proves to be a better option catering to the

economic considerations and immediate shelter
problems rather than replacement of buildings

• Moreover, retrofitting of buildings is generally more

economical as compared to demolition and
reconstruction even in the case of severe structural
damage

Therefore, seismic retrofitting of building

structures is one of the most important
aspects for mitigating seismic hazards
especially in earthquake prone countries
 Definition
Terms are associated to retrofitting with a marginal
difference like
Repair, Strengthening, Remolding, Rehabilitation,
Reconstruction, Re-engineering etc.
The most common definitions of Retrofitting are
To upgrade the earthquake resistance up to the level of the present
day codes by appropriate techniques (IS 13935: 1993)

Increasing the seismic resistance of a damaged building is called

retrofitting (Tomazevic, 1999)

It is an upgrading of certain building system, such as mechanical,

electrical, or structural, to improve performance, function, or
appearance (Newman, 2001)
 Need of Retrofitting
• The buildings have been designed according to a seismic
code, but the code has been upgraded in later years

• Buildings designed to meet the modern seismic codes,

but deficiencies exist in the design and /or construction

• Essential buildings must be strengthened like hospitals,

historical monuments and architectural buildings

• Important buildings whose service is assumed to be

essential even just after an earthquake

• Buildings, the use of which has changed through the

years

• Buildings that are expanded renovated or rebuilt

 Problems Associated with Retrofitting

• To obtain sufficient records of buildings

- architectural and structural drawings
- structural design calculations
- material properties,
- details of foundation and geo-technical reports
- records of at least natural period of the buildings etc

• Retrofitting and issues of their structural safety

• Guidelines or codes of practice on retrofitting

• Methods of seismic assessment of existing buildings

 Concepts of Retrofitting
• Up gradation of the lateral strength of the structure
• Increase in the ductility of structure

• Increase in strength and ductility

 Consideration in Retrofitting of Structures

• Retrofitting principally depends on the horizontal and

vertical load resisting system of the structure and the
type of materials used for parent construction
• It also relies on the technology that is feasible and
economical
• The understanding of mode of failure, structural
behaviour and weak and strong design aspects exercise
considerable influence on selection of retrofitting
methods
• Usually, retrofitting method is aimed at increasing the
lateral resistance of the structure
 Consideration in Retrofitting of Structures

• To predict initial and final stiffness of the retrofitted

structure need clarification and quantification

• Avoid an irregular stiffness distribution in the

retrofitted structure

• It is suggested that the design of retrofitted schemes

should be based on drift control rather than on strength
consideration alone

• The use of three-dimensional analysis is recommended

to identify and locate the potential weakness of the
retrofitted building
 Source of Weakness in RC Frame Building

• Discontinuous load path/ interrupted load path/irregular

load path

• Lack of deformation compatibility of structural members

• Quality of workmanship and poor quality of material

Structural Damage due to Discontinuous Load Path

• Every structure must have two load resisting systems vertical load
resisting system for transferring the vertical load to ground (b)
horizontal load resisting system for transferring the horizontal load
to vertical load system
• It is imperative that the seismic forces should be properly collected
by the horizontal framing system and transferred into vertical lateral
resisting system
• Any discontinuity/irregularity in this load path or load transfer may
cause one of the major contributions to structural damage during
strong earthquakes
• In addition it must be ensured that each member both of horizontal
or vertical load resisting system must be strong enough and not fail
during an earthquake
• All the structural and non-structural elements must have sufficient
strength and ductility and should be well connected to the structural
system so that the load path must be complete and sufficiently
strong
Structural Damage due to Lack of Deformation

• Due to limited amount of ductility and the inability to

redistribute load
• The most common regions of failure in an existing
reinforced concrete frame are
Structural Damage due to Lack of Deformation
Columns
• In reinforced concrete columns several interaction
mechanism influences its lateral load behaviour.
• The main actions that concern are associated with axial,
flexure, shear, and bond

Action of concern force and its mode of failure in column

Structural Damage due to Lack of Deformation
Beams
• In reinforced concrete beams, the major problems exist at the
right end, considering seismic forces left to right
• A brittle shear failure could occur due to superposing of shear
forces caused by vertical loading and seismic loading

Behaviour of beams for vertical and seismic loading

 Quality of Workmanship and Materials

• There are numerous instances where faulty construction

practices and lack of quality control have contributed to
the damage

• The faulty construction practices may be like, lack of

amount and detailing of reinforcement as per requirement
of code particularly when the end of lateral reinforcement
is not bent by 135 degrees as the code specified

• Many buildings have been damaged due to poor quality

control of design material strength as specified, spalling
of concrete by the corrosion of embedded reinforcing bars,
porous concrete, age of concrete, proper maintenance etc.
 Classification of Retrofitting Techniques
There are two ways to enhance the seismic
capacity of existing structures

• Structural-level approach of retrofitting

Global modifications to the structural system

• Member level approach or local retrofitting

Increase of the ductility of components with adequate
capacities to satisfy their specific limit states
Classification of Retrofitting Techniques
 Retrofitting Strategies for RC Buildings

Structural Level (or Global) Retrofit Methods

Conventional Methods
• Adding New Shear Walls into/onto the Existing
Frames
• Adding Steel Bracing into/onto the Existing Frame
• Adding Infill Walls into/onto the Existing Frames
Non-Conventional Approach
• Seismic Base Isolation/
• Supplemental Damping Devices
 Retrofitting Strategies for RC Buildings

Member Level (or Local) Retrofit Methods

Jacketing/Confinement
Columns / Beam / Beam-Column Joint / Slab/ Foundations
 Adding New Shear Walls
One of the most common methods to increase the lateral strength
of the reinforced concrete buildings - Added elements may be
cast in place or pre-cast

Increasing strength with shear walls: (a) adding techniques (b) infilling techniques
 Adding New Shear Walls
Technical Considerations

• Determining the adequacy of existing floor and roof to carry the

seismic forces
• Transfer of diaphragm shear into the new shear walls with dowels
• Increase in the weight and concentration of shear by the addition of
wall, which may affect the foundations
Constructional Considerations

• To find locations which may align to the full height of the building to
minimize torsion
• It is often desirable to locate walls adjacent to the beam between
columns so that only minimum slab demolition is required with
connections made to beam at the sides and /of columns
• The reinforcement has to pass through holes in slabs and around the
beams to avoid interference
• Wall thickness also varies from 15 to 25cm (6 to 10 inch) and is
normally placed externally
 Adding New Shear Walls
Limitations

• Increase in lateral resistance but it is concentrated at a few places

• Increased overturning moment at foundation causes very high
uplifting that needs either new foundations or strengthening of the
existing foundations
• Increased dead load of the structure
• Excessive destruction at each floor level results in functional
disability of the buildings
• Possibilities of adequate attachment between the new walls and the
existing structure
• Closing of formerly open spaces can have major negative impact on
the interior of the building uses or exterior appearance
 Adding Steel Bracing
Steel bracing has a potential advantage over other schemes for the
following reasons
• Higher strength and stiffness
• Opening for natural light can be made easily
• Amount of work is less since foundation cost may be minimized
• The bracing system adds much less weight to the existing structure
• Most of the retrofitting work can be performed with prefabricated
elements and disturbance to the occupants may be minimized
 Adding Steel Bracing
Technical Considerations
• It has performed well-exhibited linear behavior even up to twice the
design code force
• The effective slenderness ratio of brace should be kept relatively low
so that braces are effective in compression as well as tension,
suggested l/r ratio are 80 to 60 or even lower
• Collector’s members are recommended for transferring forces
between the frame and bracing system
• Careful consideration of connections of strengthening elements to the
existing structures and to the foundations have to be consciously
designed to ensure proper shear transfer
• Local reinforcement to the columns may be needed to bear the
increased load generated on them
• The epoxies threaded rods have proved to be quite effective in
connecting the bracing system to the concrete frame and in
transferring the forces
 Adding Steel Bracing
Limitations
• Lack of information about the seismic behavior of the added
bracing;

• Steel bracing system may be sensitive to construction errors or

omissions, which cause reduction in member capacity at a section

• A moderate to high level of skilled labour is necessary for

construction, due to the need for member fit-up adjustment and
welding

• Close quality control particularly with respect to welding is

essential
 Adding Infill Walls
• It is an effective and economical method for improving
strength and reducing drift of existing frames
• Relatively strong masonry infill may result in a failure of the
columns of existing frame

Column lap splices subjected to large axial force due to frame wall action
 Adding Infill Walls
Technical Consideration
• Mode 1: Weak columns, strong beams and strong infill - failure occurs
in the columns followed by crushing of infill in the compressive
corners
• Mode 2: Strong columns, weak beams and strong infill - failure occurs
in the beam again followed by crushing of infill
• Mode 3: Strong columns, strong beams and weak infill - failure occurs
when corner crushing extends diagonally followed by frame joint
failure.
Limitations
• The benefit of retrofitting by infill walls is often limited by failure of
splices in existing columns, which act as boundary elements for new
infill walls
 Non-Conventional Approach
Seismic Base Isolation

It is a powerful and relatively cheaper method of seismic rehabilitation of buildings

Advantages
• Better protection against earthquake due to the
decreasing of shears
• Superstructure will need no reinforcement
• Foundation system will not need any reinforcement to
resist the overturning moments
• Least interrupting the building activities, since the work
is carried out in the basement
• Least temporary work is required
 Seismic Base Isolation

Process of seismic retrofitting by base isolation in mid storey isolation

 Seismic Base Isolation
• A typical base isolation system is evolved by the use of rubber
bearing located at the base of the building, most often just
below the first floor, under columns or shear walls
• Rubber bearing consists of laminated layers of rubber and
steel plates strongly bound together during the vulcanizing
process of rubber
• They are designed with a vertical stiffness, which is usually
300 to 1000 times higher than the horizontal stiffness
• Such a system increases the first natural period in both the
horizontal directions in between the range of 1 to 2.5 seconds
and the response acceleration decreases accordingly
• Damping is usually comprised between 5% to 10% critical, but
can jump to as high as 20% with the addition of damper
 Supplemental Damping Devices

• Use of supplemental damping may be an effective method to resist

seismic force
• The most commonly used approaches to add supplemental
dampers to a structure are installing of viscous damper or visco-
elastic damper, frictional damper, and hysteretic dampers as
components of braced frames
Supplemental Damping Devices
 Member Level (or Local) Retrofit Methods
Jacketing/ Confinement
• Jacketing is the most oftenly used and one of the most popular
methods for strengthening
• Most common types of jackets are steel jacket, reinforced concrete
jacket, fiber reinforced polymer composite jacket, jacket with high
tension materials like carbon fiber, glass fiber etc.
• The main purposes of jacketing are: (i) to increase concrete
confinement by transverse fiber/ reinforcement, especially for circular
cross-sectional columns, (ii) to increase shear strength
• Transverse fiber should be wrapped all around the entire
circumference of the members possessing close loops sufficiently
overlapped or welded in order to increase concrete confinement and
shear strength
 Jackets
• Generally two type of jackets – circular / rectangular
• Circular cross-section will get better confinement than rectangular
cross-section
• Where square or rectangular cross-sections are to be jacketed,
circular/oval/elliptical jackets are most oftenly used and the space
between the jacket and column is filled with concrete
• Such types of multi-shaped jackets provide a high degree of
confinement by virtue of their shape to the splice region proving to
be more effective
• Rectangular jackets typically lack the flexural stiffness needed to
fully confine the concrete
• However, circular and oval jackets may be less desirable due to (i)
need of large space, (ii) where an oval or elliptical jacket has
sufficient stiffness to confine the concrete along the long
dimension of the cross-section is open to question
 Jacket

Various shapes of retrofitting jackets

 Jacketing of Columns
Reinforced Concrete Jacketing

Steel Jacketing
 Jacketing of Columns

Strap Jacketing

A narrow gap should be provided to prevent any possible increase in flexure capacity
 Jacketing of Columns
• Jacketing of columns consists of added concrete with
longitudinal and transverse reinforcement around the existing
columns
• This type of strengthening improves the axial and shear
strength of columns while the flexural strength of column and
strength of the beam-column joints remain the same
• Jacketing of columns is not successful for improving the
ductility
• A major advantage is that it improves the lateral load capacity
of the building in a reasonably uniform and distributed way
and hence avoiding the concentration of stiffness as in the
case of shear walls
• Major strengthening of foundations may be avoided
Jacketing of Columns
 Jacketing of Beams
• Jacketing of beams is recommended for several purposes as it
gives continuity to the columns and increases the strength and
stiffness of the structure
• In jacketing of a beam its flexural resistance must be carefully
computed to avoid the creation of a strong beam-weak column
system
• In the retrofitted structure, there is a strong possibility of
change of mode of failure and redistribution of forces as a
result of jacketing of column, which may consequently cause
beam hinging
• The location of the beam critical section and the participation
of the existing reinforcement should be taken into
consideration
• Jacketing of beam may be carried out under different ways the
most common are one-sided jackets or 3 and 4-sided jackets
• The beam should be jacketed through its whole length
Beam Jacketing

Three sided jacketing

Four sided jacketing

 Beam Jacketing

Continuity of longitudinal steel in jacketed beams

 Jacketing of Beam – Column Joint

• Due to lack of space in the joint region it is difficult

enough to provide an adequate confinement

• Alcocer, 1992 has assessed experimentally the behavior of

several beam columns sub assemblages, where the joint
is confined with a steel cage

• Test results have indicated that jacketing has been

effective in rehabilitating the joint, with improving the
strength, stiffness and energy dissipation characteristics
of the existing joint
Beam – Column Joint Jacketing

Steel cage assembled in the joint

 Comparative Analysis of Methods of
Retrofitting

Typical load displacement relationship for different retrofitting techniques

 Feasibility Study of Strengthened One-storey Frame
Strengthened Construction Cost Structural Capacity
Schemes
Workability Weight Stiffness Strength Ductilit
y
Infilled Much work Heavy Cheap High High Low
concrete wall (1.000 (1.00) (1.00) (1.00) (1.00)

Infilled Easy work Heavy Slightly Low Low Low

concrete (1.000 expansive (0.30) (0.30) (1.13)
block wall (1.61)

Compression Simple Light Slightly Low Low High

brace connection, (0.39) expansive (0.27) (0.63) (1.70)
easy work (1.47)

Tension Brace Easy Light Expansive Low Low High

Work, (0.44) (2.93) (0.24) (0.67) (1.70)
accuracy
needed
 Comparison of Alternative Retrofit Schemes
Partial list of retrofit Base Isolation Braced External Jacketing Do nothing
schemes Frames Shear walls
Seismic Risks @ MCE
Life safety - Injury Minor Moderate Moderate Moderate Extensive
Life loss Not Expected Not Expected Not Expected Not Expected Some

Equipment damage Minor Moderate Moderate Moderate Extensive

Business Interruption Hours - Days Weeks Weeks Weeks- Months
Months or Relocation
Construction
Business Impact Low Medium Medium High --
Architectural Impact Low – Mod. Low – Mod. High Low --
Schedule (Years) 3 1.75 2 1.5 --
Project Cost (Ratios) 2.2 1.0 1.2 1.0 --
Impact of Eng. Uncertainties
Ground Motion High Medium Medium Low --
Design and analysis Low Low Low Low --
Constructibility Medium Low Low Medium --
History of performance in Earthquakes
Some Moderate Extensive Some Extensive