Cunningham, LeeAlmatrafi, Abdulrahman2025-04-082024https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14154/75103Structural members are designed to different types of loadings which ideally designed to withstand them. Structural members can be vulnerable to impact load generated from different sources such as vehicle collision, falling debris or impact risk that appears post-construction. Fibre Reinforced Polymer (FRP) proved to be effective to increase the capacity of different structural members under static loading and is also commercially available, lightweight and practical for external installation. Therefore, assessing the effectiveness of using FRP to strengthen existing axially loaded reinforced concrete (RC) members against impact loading is the primary focus of this research. This work investigates the dynamic behaviour of CFRP strengthened axially loaded RC members subjected to impact loading using experiment and extensive numerical modelling. To achieve this aim, a series of experiments were conducted including impacting un-strengthened and strengthened members under different impact energies, pre-axial loading levels and CFRP configurations. To further expand the understanding of the dynamic behaviour, a numerical model was developed using ABAQUS CAE and validated against the experimental results and related published experiments followed by a parametric study of different variables such as wrapping region, sheet thickness and impact location. Lastly, a full-scale sized column under a typical impact event was then undertaken to apply this understanding to real-life applications. The results show the ability of CFRP to effectively resist impact load in terms of load, deflection, strains, local and global damage. Although a fully wrapped configuration reduced lateral displacement by 30%, a discrete banding configuration achieved comparable performance while saving around 40% of the CFRP material. Axial loading levels of >5%, 25% and 50% positively affect limiting damage and reducing lateral displacement at higher loading levels. The results suggest that CFRP can effectively prevent concrete column failure up to a 40 km/h impact velocity, though limitations emerge beyond this threshold.241enCFRP strengtheningdynamic behaviourimpactreinforced concrete columnsretrofittingrobustnessfinite elementAbaqusThesis