Impact of inadequate column performance and repair techniques on the seismic performance of RC buildings

Abstract Nepal lies in a seismically active zone, and recent earthquakes, such as the Gorkha (2015) and Jajarkot (2023) earthquakes, have caused the failure of many reinforced concrete (RC) frame structures. Many of these failures occur in non-engineered buildings and those constructed based on outd...

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Main Authors: Birendra Kumar Bohara, Nirmal Mani Joshi, Sangam Jagari
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2025-05-01
Series:Discover Civil Engineering
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s44290-025-00253-5
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author Birendra Kumar Bohara
Nirmal Mani Joshi
Sangam Jagari
author_facet Birendra Kumar Bohara
Nirmal Mani Joshi
Sangam Jagari
author_sort Birendra Kumar Bohara
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Nepal lies in a seismically active zone, and recent earthquakes, such as the Gorkha (2015) and Jajarkot (2023) earthquakes, have caused the failure of many reinforced concrete (RC) frame structures. Many of these failures occur in non-engineered buildings and those constructed based on outdated Nepalese standards. This research aims to observe the seismic performance of existing structures, particularly non-engineered buildings located in the hilly regions of Far Western Nepal. Three representative non-engineered structures were selected for analysis, and the performance of structural columns was evaluated using the response spectrum method and nonlinear static analyses. Three retrofitting techniques were considered: concrete jacketing, steel jacketing, and the addition of steel bracings. The results were analyzed and compared in terms of capacity curves, inter-story drift, displacement, stiffness, and column design parameters. Results show that retrofitting significantly improves lateral load resistance, with steel bracing reducing inter-story drift by up to 80% and enhancing base shear capacity by over 2000  kN. P-M-M interaction ratios dropped from 1.557 in unretrofitted columns to as low as 0.148 in retrofitted ones, indicating improved structural stability. By adopting retrofitting techniques in poorly designed columns, the overall seismic performance of the structures improved, with an adequate level of ductility. Among the methods, adding steel bracing provided a suitable improvement in seismic performance, though jacketing in columns also proved to be a good option for retrofitting. In conclusion, the study indicates that retrofitting techniques can substantially improve the seismic capacity of poor-strength buildings, providing safety and resilience to such structures.
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spelling doaj-art-70ecdc73fcd34ee89c43ccf8acfa86802025-08-20T03:53:57ZengSpringerDiscover Civil Engineering2948-15462025-05-012112110.1007/s44290-025-00253-5Impact of inadequate column performance and repair techniques on the seismic performance of RC buildingsBirendra Kumar Bohara0Nirmal Mani Joshi1Sangam Jagari2School of Engineering, Far Western UniversitySchool of Engineering, Far Western UniversitySchool of Engineering, Far Western UniversityAbstract Nepal lies in a seismically active zone, and recent earthquakes, such as the Gorkha (2015) and Jajarkot (2023) earthquakes, have caused the failure of many reinforced concrete (RC) frame structures. Many of these failures occur in non-engineered buildings and those constructed based on outdated Nepalese standards. This research aims to observe the seismic performance of existing structures, particularly non-engineered buildings located in the hilly regions of Far Western Nepal. Three representative non-engineered structures were selected for analysis, and the performance of structural columns was evaluated using the response spectrum method and nonlinear static analyses. Three retrofitting techniques were considered: concrete jacketing, steel jacketing, and the addition of steel bracings. The results were analyzed and compared in terms of capacity curves, inter-story drift, displacement, stiffness, and column design parameters. Results show that retrofitting significantly improves lateral load resistance, with steel bracing reducing inter-story drift by up to 80% and enhancing base shear capacity by over 2000  kN. P-M-M interaction ratios dropped from 1.557 in unretrofitted columns to as low as 0.148 in retrofitted ones, indicating improved structural stability. By adopting retrofitting techniques in poorly designed columns, the overall seismic performance of the structures improved, with an adequate level of ductility. Among the methods, adding steel bracing provided a suitable improvement in seismic performance, though jacketing in columns also proved to be a good option for retrofitting. In conclusion, the study indicates that retrofitting techniques can substantially improve the seismic capacity of poor-strength buildings, providing safety and resilience to such structures.https://doi.org/10.1007/s44290-025-00253-5Non-engineered buildingsNepalDarchulaCapacity curve
spellingShingle Birendra Kumar Bohara
Nirmal Mani Joshi
Sangam Jagari
Impact of inadequate column performance and repair techniques on the seismic performance of RC buildings
Discover Civil Engineering
Non-engineered buildings
Nepal
Darchula
Capacity curve
title Impact of inadequate column performance and repair techniques on the seismic performance of RC buildings
title_full Impact of inadequate column performance and repair techniques on the seismic performance of RC buildings
title_fullStr Impact of inadequate column performance and repair techniques on the seismic performance of RC buildings
title_full_unstemmed Impact of inadequate column performance and repair techniques on the seismic performance of RC buildings
title_short Impact of inadequate column performance and repair techniques on the seismic performance of RC buildings
title_sort impact of inadequate column performance and repair techniques on the seismic performance of rc buildings
topic Non-engineered buildings
Nepal
Darchula
Capacity curve
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s44290-025-00253-5
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AT sangamjagari impactofinadequatecolumnperformanceandrepairtechniquesontheseismicperformanceofrcbuildings