To study the seismic strengthening of damaged reinforced concrete (RC) frames using CFRP sheets, this study designed and tested the scaled 2-bay and 2-storey RC frame specimens. After applying a low cyclic horizontal load to simulate the initial damage to the specimen in an earthquake disaster, CFRP was used to strengthen the joints of the damaged RC frame. Pseudo-static tests of strengthened specimens and counterpart specimens were then carried out. Seismic performance, including stiffness, load capacity, ductility and energy dissipation were further analyzed. The failure mode of strengthened RC frame structures showed excellent ductility. The results demonstrated that the strengthening method involving wrapping CFRP can significantly improve the maximum horizontal bearing capacity, initial stiffness and energy dissipation capacity of the non-ductile reinforced concrete frame structure. The average displacement ductility coefficient of strengthened specimen can be enhanced to 3.41 compared with that of counterpart specimen (3.00). The pushover analysis based on the OpenSees model determined that the prototype frame with CFRP strengthening can maintain structural integrity and safety, with its maximum interstorey displacement angle below the limit of seismic specification (i.e., 1/50 in a severe earthquake). This study can contribute to the development of practical and efficient methods for restoring and improving the performance of damaged RC frames in seismic-prone regions.

The excessive extraction of river sand has led to significant ecological issues. Moreover, the environmental impact and resource demand of cement production have increasingly turned the spotlight on sea sand as a viable alternative due to its abundance and ease of extraction. Concurrently, alkali-activated binders, a novel type of low-carbon cementitious material, have gained attention for their low energy consumption, high durability, and effective chloride ion fixation capabilities. However, they are susceptible to carbonation. Introducing a controlled sea sand amount can raise the materials’ carbonation resistance, although carbonation may raise the concentration of free Cl⁻ within the structure to levels that could risk the integrity of steel reinforcements by accelerating corrosion. In this context, the current study investigates sea sand alkali-activated slag (SSAS) concrete prepared with varying water–binder (W/B) ratios to evaluate its impact on flowability, mechanical strength, performances, and chloride ion distribution post-carbonation. The results demonstrate that the mechanical property of SSAS concrete diminishes as the water-to-binder ratio increases, with a more pronounced reduction observed. The depth of carbonation in mortar specimens also rises with the W/B ratio, whereas the compressive strength post-carbonation initially decreases before showing an increase as carbonation progresses. Furthermore, carbonation redistributes chloride ions in SSAS, leading to a peak Cl⁻ concentration near the carbonation front. However, this peak amplitude does not show a clear correlation with changes in the W/B ratio. This study provides a theoretical foundation for employing sea sand and alkali-activated concrete.

Pre-mixed fluidized solidified soil (PFSS) has the advantages of pumpability, convenient construction, and a short setting time. This paper took the excavated loess in Fuzhou as the research object and used cement–fly–ash–ground granulated blast furnace slag–carbide slag as a composite geopolymer system (CFGC) to synthesize PFSS. This study investigated the fluidity and mechanical strength of PFSS under different water–solid ratios and curing agent dosages; finally, the microstructure of the composite geopolymer system–pre-mixed fluidized solidified soil (CFGC-PFSS) was characterized. The results showed that when the water–solid ratio of PFSS increased from 0.46 to 0.54, the fluidity increased by 77 mm, and the flexural strength and compressive strength at 28 d decreased to 450.8 kPa and 1236.5 kPa. When the curing agent dosage increased from 15% to 25%, the fluidity increased by 18.0 mm, and the flexural strength and compressive strength at 28 d increased by 1.7 times and 1.6 times. A large number of needle-like AFt, C-S-H gel, and C-(A)-S-H gel coagulate with soil particles to form a three-dimensional reticular structure, which is the mechanism of the strength formation of PFSS under the action of CFGC.