Experimental Study on The Behavior of Slender Rectangular Columns Under Eccentric Loading

This paper includes an extensive experimental program consisted of twenty seven specimens to investigate the behavior of reinforced concrete, RC, slender columns with rectangular sections under the effect of eccentric loads. The program contains three groups each has 9 specimens. The first group (A) is considered as a control group tested without strengthening and the second group (B) is strengthened using near surface mounted (NSM) longitudinal steel bars while the third group (C) is strengthened using NSM longitudinal steel bars partially wrapped with one ply of carbon fibers reinforced polymers (CFRP) sheets was used. In addition to the strengthening schemes, the test parameters included the investigation on the change in the ratio of the internal longitudinal steel bars as well as the stirrups’ volumetric ratio. All specimens are tested eccentric loading with eccentricity-to-section height e/h equals 0.25. The research revealed that the strength gain in specimens in group (C) is higher than in group (B).