Numerical simulation of FRP-confined circular bridge piers using OpenSEES

The material model proposed by Megalooikonomou et al. (2012) was added to the source code of Opensees as a uniaxial material, i.e. the ‘FRPConfinedConcrete’ material. In order to evaluate the performance of this material model, it was implemented in the simulation of a series of cyclic loading tests performed by Gallardo-Zafra and Kawashima (2009). In particular, all specimens were simulated using nonlinear fiber elements, in which the FRP-confined concrete was modelled using the aforementioned material model. Comparison between the numerical and experimental hysteresis of the column is indicative of the effectiveness of the implemented modelling.