Advancing Seismic Resilience and Structural Performance of Reinforced Concrete Systems through Fibre-Reinforced Polymer Integration and Structural Health Assessment
Keywords:
Fibre-reinforced polymer retrofit, seismic rehabilitation, reinforced concrete structures, structural health monitoringAbstract
The accelerating deterioration of reinforced concrete infrastructure under increasing functional demands, environmental exposure, and seismic risk has intensified scholarly and professional interest in advanced materials and retrofit strategies capable of extending service life while enhancing structural resilience. Among these strategies, fibre-reinforced polymer systems have emerged as a transformative intervention, offering high strength-to-weight ratios, corrosion resistance, and adaptability to a wide range of structural deficiencies. This research article develops a comprehensive and critical examination of fibre-reinforced polymer applications within reinforced concrete buildings and infrastructure, with particular emphasis on seismic performance enhancement, structural auditing, damage detection, and performance-based rehabilitation. Grounded strictly in established scholarly literature, the study synthesizes theoretical foundations of structural health monitoring, non-destructive evaluation techniques, and damage-based retrofit philosophies to construct an integrated analytical framework for fibre-reinforced polymer-based interventions. The article elaborates extensively on the evolution of retrofit methodologies, contrasting traditional steel jacketing and conventional strengthening approaches with contemporary composite-based solutions. Special attention is devoted to the interaction between pre-damage states, material compatibility, confinement mechanics, and global seismic behavior, as discussed in the literature on substandard reinforced concrete members and non-ductile structures. Drawing upon recent academic discourse, including advanced discussions on fibre-reinforced polymer deployment in construction practice, the article interprets how composite systems influence load redistribution, energy dissipation, ductility enhancement, and failure mode transformation. Methodologically, the study adopts a qualitative, interpretive research design rooted in critical literature analysis, enabling an in-depth exploration of performance trends, limitations, and contextual dependencies without reliance on experimental datasets or numerical modeling. The results section articulates synthesized findings related to strength recovery, stiffness modification, and damage mitigation, while the discussion interrogates competing scholarly perspectives, unresolved challenges, and long-term durability considerations. Ultimately, the article argues that fibre-reinforced polymer systems, when embedded within rigorous structural assessment and damage-informed design frameworks, represent a pivotal advancement in sustainable seismic retrofit practice. The conclusions underscore the necessity of integrating material innovation with holistic evaluation methodologies to achieve resilient, economically viable, and performance-driven rehabilitation of aging concrete infrastructure (Bandela, 2025; Farrar et al., 2007).
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