Experimental Investigation of Strength Enhancement Between PVA Fibre & PVA Powder Modified Ferrocement Mortar Used Retrofitting on Challenging Structural Members
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61779/jasetm.v4i1.1Keywords:
Ferrocement jacketing, PVA fibre, PVA powder, Retrofitting, Structural Strengthening, RC columnsAbstract
Strengthening of existing challenging structural members like reinforced concrete (RC) columns is a critical requirement for extending safe life span in structural rehabilitation. Ferrocement jacketing is a widely adopted retrofitting technique due to its efficiency and ease of application. Retrofitting technique can be further modified by adding different admix like fibre materials, silica fumes, fly ash, polymer etc with cement mortar. Enhanced ferrocement jacketing with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibre reinforced mortar has been extensively studied for its crack resistance and ductility upgradation [9][10]. While limited research exists on the use of PVA powder modified mortar as a practical alternative. This study presents an experimental investigation comparing the performance of RC columns retrofitted, using 0.5% PVA fibre mortar and 0.5% PVA powder modified mortar. A total of six RC column specimens were casted, cracked, retrofitted and tested under axial compression. The results indicate that both systems exhibit comparable ultimate load capacity, while differences were observed in crack initiation and workability. The study highlights the research gap justification of the feasibility of PVA powder as a practical alternative to PVA fibre reinforcement in ferrocement jacketing applications.
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