Advances in Enhancing Earthquake Resilience of Concrete Infrastructure: A State-of-the-Art Review

This study presents a comprehensive review of state-of-the-art seismic retrofitting techniques for reinforced concrete (RC) structures, focusing on structural resilience, economic feasibility, and sustainability. By systematically analyzing over 100 experimental, numerical, and case studies, this work benchmarks conventional methods—such as concrete and steel jacketing—against advanced solutions, including fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP), shape memory alloys (SMA), and base isolation systems. The findings indicate that FRP retrofitting increases lateral load capacity by up to 40%, shear strength by 30-80%, and ductility by 100-200%, while reducing overall structural weight by 50-75% compared to steel jacketing. SMA components exhibit up to 8% strain recovery, a 30–40% improvement in energy dissipation, and a 70% reduction in post-earthquake residual deformations, effectively enhancing self-centering capabilities. Base isolation systems reduce inter-story drift by 50-75%, floor accelerations by 65-85%, and overall structural damage by 40-60%, though their high initial cost (20-50% of total project costs) limits widespread adoption. Hybrid systems, such as SMA-FRP combinations, achieve 50-60% increased energy absorption and 90% recovery of deformation, further optimizing seismic resilience. Sustainability assessments show that FRP and SMA retrofitting reduce embodied carbon emissions by 20-40% and lifecycle maintenance costs by 30-50% compared to traditional methods. To address challenges such as cost, durability concerns, and standardization gaps, this review introduces a performance-based framework integrating lifecycle cost analysis, seismic risk assessment, and material efficiency to optimize retrofitting strategies for diverse structural applications, from heritage conservation to critical infrastructure.