When conventional FRP composites are applied to confine rectangular concrete columns, strength enhancement is often limited due to the highly non-uniform lateral expansion of sections with a large aspect ratio (e.g., 2.0). High ductile FRP (HDFRP), a composite of glass fibers and polypropylene (PP) fibers, improves column strength while alleviating corner stress concentration in square sections, demonstrating its promising application potential for strengthening members with rectangular cross-sections. Yet existing studies on HDFRP have primarily focused on circular and square sections. To explore its applicability to rectangular cross-sections, this study conducted axial compression tests on HDFRP-confined rectangular short concrete columns (HDFRP-CRCC), investigating the effects of aspect ratio, corner radius, and FRP thickness on their mechanical behavior. The test results demonstrate that the HDFRP composite material can significantly enhance the overall strength and axial deformability of rectangular concrete columns, thereby effectively overcoming the limited strength enhancement associated with conventional FRP systems. Based on the experimental results, a design-oriented model is developed to offer theoretical support for the application of HDFRP in strengthening rectangular frame structures.
Ji et al. (2026) studied this question.