Experimental Results for study of Enhancing the axial capacity of pile-to-sleeve connections using fiber-reinforced cementitious composite materials

Grouted connections in offshore support structures are hybrid joints formed by bonding overlapping steel tubes of different diameters using high strength grout to fill the annulus. This research introduces a novel approach to grouted connections by integrating fiber-reinforced concrete into the connection under axial loading. To investigate the impact of fiber incorporation, three mix designs were used: fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC) with 2% straight steel fibers, FRC with 1% hooked steel fibers, and normal concrete as a reference. The findings indicate that the axial bearing capacity of the connection enhanced by 15% when 1% hooked steel fibers were used and by 30% with 2% straight steel fibers.