Are FRPs the Way Forward for the Blast Retrofitting of Reinforced Concrete Structures?

The surge in the occurrence of intentional and accidental blast events around the world has highlighted the susceptibility of the infrastructure to this type of extreme loading. For new construction, blast-resistant design philosophy or guidelines can be incorporated during the initial stages of conception. However, for the existing structures, retrofitting schemes need to be devised to augment the blast resistance of the structures. The retrofitting schemes particularly employing the use of fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP) as compared to the others are very popular due to their on-field ease of application. This study explores the effectiveness and feasibility of the application of FRPs in this domain. The study further seeks to comprehensively address the realms of the current knowledge state in this field, and moreover to direct further attention of the global research community to address the shortcomings in this field.