Experimental investigation of reinforcement of boundary elements reinforced concrete shear walls in existing buildings with carbon fibre fabric and plates

The earthquakes that occurred in our country have led to the collapse of buildings, damage and loss of life. In order to ensure the safety of people and buildings, the identification of buildings at risk of damage and collapse is a difficult and important problem to solve. In addition to the demolition and reconstruction of risky buildings, improvements that can be achieved through retrofitting works also offer an alternative. Many techniques have been developed for the retrofitting of risky structures, some of which are included in the Turkish Building Earthquake Code and used in practice. In recent years, composite materials have been widely used in civil engineering. Fiber reinforced polymers have become an alternative material for strengthening inadequate and defective structures with their advantages such as high strength/weight ratio, not affecting the functionality of the structure, being easily applicable and not causing shape change. In our country, for the first time in 1998 Earthquake Regulation 7.6.5.2, it was made compulsory to create a boundary elements in reinforced concrete walls. However, there is a building stock in our country built before the 1998 regulation. The studies conducted revealed that reinforcements made with carbon fiber in boundary elements of the curtains resulted in a significant increase in ductility capacity. When comparing "L" carbon fiber plates with carbon fabric wraps, it was observed that their ductility capacities were close to each other. Thus, "L" plates, which could serve as a new reinforcement method, enable the curtain boundary elements to be formed externally afterward.