• Swapnil G. Kamerkar
• P. R. Barbude
• S. A. Rasal

The structural rehabilitation of reinforced cement concrete (RCC) beams has become increasingly vital due to aging infrastructure, evolving load demands, and environmental deterioration. This study investigates a hybrid strengthening technique that combines external prestressing and concrete jacketing to enhance the performance of single-span rectangular RCC beams. The objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of this integrated method in improving ultimate load capacity, stiffness, ductility, and crack control under peak stress conditions. External prestressing introduces favorable compressive stresses that counteract tensile forces, thereby reducing crack initiation and propagation. Concrete jacketing, on the other hand, increases the cross-sectional area and provides confinement, which enhances both flexural and shear strength. To assess the comparative performance, five beam specimens were analyzed using three-dimensional finite element analysis (FEA) in Midas Civil software. These included unstrengthen beams, beams strengthened with individual techniques, and beams strengthened using the combined method. The results demonstrate that the hybrid approach significantly outperforms the individual techniques. Beams retrofitted with both external prestressing and concrete jacketing exhibited higher ultimate load capacity, improved load deflection behavior enhanced crack resistance and energy absorption. This synergistic effect underscores the practical advantages of integrated strengthening strategies, especially for retrofitting deficient RCC beams in seismic zones, bridges, and industrial structures. The present study provides a framework for future applications and encourages the adoption of combined techniques for sustainable infrastructure rehabilitation.

Structural Deterioration, Infrastructure Upgrading, Seismic Strengthening, Beam Rehabilitation, Aging Infrastructure, Integrated Strengthening, Synergistic Performance.

"Combined Strengthening of RCC Beam: Integrated Technique of External Prestressing and Concrete Jacketing", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 9, page no.e765-e776, September-2025, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2509492.pdf

"Combined Strengthening of RCC Beam: Integrated Technique of External Prestressing and Concrete Jacketing", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 9, page no. ppe765-e776, September-2025, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2509492.pdf