Multiscale finite element analysis of TRC-strengthened concrete columns under lateral cyclic loading.

Abstract

Textile-reinforced concrete (TRC) is a cement-based composite in which textile fabrics are embedded in a concrete matrix to enhance strength and ductility. This study presents a multiscale finite element (FE) analysis framework for simulating the structural behavior of TRC-strengthened reinforced concrete columns subjected to lateral cyclic loading. The effective material properties of TRC were determined using a reduced-order homogenization method based on a unit-cell FE model and were subsequently incorporated into macro-scale FE simulations. The framework was validated against experimental data from five full-scale column tests, including unstrengthened and TRC-strengthened specimens with varying fiber types, layer configurations, and shear reinforcement spacings. The multiscale FE analysis accurately predicted the peak load with an average absolute relative error of 2.2% and the initial stiffness with an error of 13.3%, demonstrating close agreement with the experimental results. These findings confirm the reliability of the proposed framework for capturing the nonlinear behavior and failure mechanisms of TRC-strengthened concrete columns under realistic loading conditions.