Finite Element Study of Confined Concrete

Abstract

Recent worldwide applications of fiber reinforced polymers (FRP) wraps and tubes for existing and new structural members have continued to emphasize the significance of confined concrete. This study presents an overview of the related finite element (FE) studies for, but not limited to, the FRP-confined concrete applications of commercial FE programs such as ABAQUS and ANSYS. The capabilities, limitations, and remarks of the concrete models available in the programs are addressed. When the built-in options cannot be satisfied, several recommendations are also given for the user-defined concrete material models. The needs for future research and developments are also indicated.