Effect of Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Strips on Square Steel Tubular Sections Under Compression

Strengthening of steel structural members with advanced lightweight composite materials is increased recent times since they have very high tensile strength and stiffness, high resistance against corrosion and earthquake. This research aims to predict the optimum width and influence of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) plies on hollow square steel (HSS) sections under compression. Totally, fourteen steel samples are used with length 600 mm and the width of CFRP sheets are 30 and 50 mm. Spacing between adjacent layer is kept constant as 40 mm for the two groups. All test samples were loaded till their failure, and the corresponding reading has been taken to identify the fracture criteria, stress–strain forms, and load improvement than the unwrapped sample. Test results showed that the HSS samples wrapped by CFRP strips produced the high load increment and deformation control compared to unwrapped samples. Among the two groups, sample reinforced with 50 mm ties of three plies displayed high load and deformation control.