The column is one of the most significant structural elements, which is designed to support mainly the compressive load. Strengthening of existing reinforced concrete columns is required to enhance ductility and increase load capacity to sustain the overload as sometimes there may be a change in use. Ten rectangular concrete columns were constructed and tested. H/b ratio was kept constant and equals 6 for all columns The aim of this work is to study the behaviour and efficiency of RC columns strengthened with steel jackets subjected to axial load. An experimental study of the behaviour of ten strengthened concrete columns with slenderness ratio (t / b) equals 6 was carried out. Variables such as aspect ratio ( H / b), the volume of steel batten plates, and spacing of steel batten plates at centres ( S) were considered. The results showed that using this method of strengthening is very effective and an increase in the axial load capacity of the strengthened columns is obtained.

Block tearing is a failure mode of steel connections based on rupture of material. In this paper, a numerical model is developed to capture fracture initiation and progression until failure in steel angles connected by one leg using single row of bolts. It was realized using Gurson-Tvergaard-Needleman porous material model, which can accurately trace the behaviour of steel at plastic and ultimate range. Obtained results are validated on laboratory test results in global and local terms. Stress distribution along the failure paths in the gross and net area subjected to shear and tension was investigated for different geometrical arrangements of connections. Observation of rupture mechanisms allowed to compare the design procedures given in Eurocode 3 with connections behaviour. Results of analysis indicate that both plastic stress distribution in gross shear area and ultimate stress distribution in net shear area can limit block tearing resistance, which is consistent with the newest code provisions.

In civil engineering structures, steel angles are often used as tensioned elements, because of their ease of fabrication and assembly. For practical reasons, angles are usually connected only by one leg, using a single row of bolts, and rupture of weakened section usually determines a joint capacity. Also, eccentricity affects the distribution of stresses in the net section and hence its load capacity. Assessment of ultimate resistance is a completely different issue compared to the well-known and established problems of plastic resistance and requires advanced material modelling. The paper presents a numerical simulation of net section failure of tensioned angles, made of structural steel grade S275, taking into account ductile initiation and propagation of fracture using the Gurson–Tvergaard– Needleman damage model. Extensive parametrical analysis of ultimate tensile resistance was performed with a wide range of parameters. The typical and well-recognised failure modes were observed as net section fracture and block tearing. Also, an additional failure mode, classified as limited block tearing, has occurred which is not considered in current design provisions. The paper describes the impact of individual geometrical properties of the joint (numbers of bolts, connection length, and distance from the edge of the connected leg to the center of the fastener hole) on the apparent failure form and the resistance obtained.