Performance evaluation of structures with reinforced concrete columns retrofitted with steel jacketing

Abstract Several existing reinforced concrete (RC) buildings fail to conform with current seismic codes, increasing its susceptibility to damage and collapse during earthquakes. A concern for building upgrading and rehabilitation has grown considerably in the last decades. However, there is limited information related to the seismic performance of RC buildings retrofitted with steel jacketing. Retrofitting of RC buildings leads to different techniques that have been developed in the last decades. The selection of adequate techniques commonly depends on desired performance levels, financial criteria, or other non-technical judgment. This paper assesses the seismic performance of a six-story RC building retrofitted with steel jacketing that is located in Cartagena de Indias (Colombia). The building was designed and constructed in 2010 without considering the requirements prescribed by the NSR-10 Colombian code. In 2017, another building collapsed in the same city for several non-compliances with Colombian seismic code. This investigation focuses on the seismic upgrading of the building, studying the influence of different material properties of the existing building and load scenarios on the building behavior. The proposed steel jacketing improves the compressive and flexural capacity of retrofitted columns, along with the ductility of the building.