The conventional strengthening strategy on the connection between the steel pile cap and reinforced concrete footing requires a series of complicated processes such as the distribution of reinforcing bars, their anchorage into concrete, and the usage of shear keys. This study investigates the structural performance of steel pile caps strengthened with newly proposed perfobond shear connectors subjected to lateral loading. Test parameters include the type of perfobond shear connectors, infilled concrete depth, and the number of L-shaped steel plates. The applied load versus deformation curve is plotted for all specimens, and their failure modes are identified. The effects of the test parameters on the peak load are examined in this work. From the results of this study, it can be confirmed that the proposed perfobond shear connector can be utilized as an alternative to the conventional steel pile cap strengthening method using steel rebars.

The prestressed near-surface mounted reinforcement (NSMR) using Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) was developed to improve the load bearing capacity of ageing or degraded concrete structures. The NSMR using FRP was the subject of numerous studies of which a mere portion was dedicated to the long-term behavior under fatigue loading. Accordingly, the present study intends to examine the fatigue performance of the NSMR applying the anchoring system developed by Korea Institute of Construction and Building Technology (KICT). To that goal, fatigue test is performed on 6.4 m reinforced concrete beams fabricated with various concrete strengths and developed lengths of the Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) tendon. The test results reveal that the difference in the concrete strength and in the developed length of the CFRP tendon has insignificant effect on the strengthening performance. It is concluded that the accumulation of fatigue loading, the concrete strength and the developed length of the tendon will not affect significantly the strengthening performance given that sufficient strengthening is secured.

Various methods for strengthening existing structures have been developed owing to the increase in human and property damages caused by the deterioration of structures. Among the various reinforcing methods, the external prestressing method increases the usability and safety of a structure by directly applying tension to the weak tensile area that suffers the greatest deflection during the structure usage. The external prestressing method is advantageous in reducing cracks caused by the introduced tension and restoration of the deflection. Since the strengthening method is applied to deterioration bridges, the strengthening effect is affected by the condition of the existing structure. However, studies on the strengthening effect according to the degree of deterioration are insufficient. Therefore, the behavior according to the strengthening status was analyzed, and the strengthening effect was identified in this study by simulating the deteriorated bridge, reducing the compressive strength and reinforcement quantity, and conducting a four-point loading test. As a result of the experiment, a reinforcement effect of 215% crack load, 161% yield load, and the difference in behavior according to the reinforcement parameters were confirmed.

Despite of their outstanding axial strength, CFRP tendons necessitate special anchorage due to their low lateral shear strength. In order to cope with such CFRP tendon, the conventional bond type anchor needs to be improved. The results of bond tests executed on 10-mm diameter CFRP tendons coated with sand and oxide revealed that, even if the average bond strength increases by 3 times compared to the non-coated bare tendon, the coated CFRP tendon still requires excessively long anchored length for bonding. Therefore, this study applies a method enabling to shorten the bonded length and improving further the bond performance compared to sand or oxide coating. The improvement of the bond characteristics is achieved by splitting the ends of the CFRP tendon so as to widen the bonded area by 3.5 times. The test results showed that the anchor performance of the CFRP tendon reaches 95% of its tensile strength making it applicable for the bond type anchor.

This paper examines the history of UHPC, as the latest technology for concrete structures, from the development of the material and the corresponding specifications to its application on field. The advantages and disadvantages of UHPC are analysed and future research directions are derived.