Assessment of post-installed bars in full-scale beam-column joints using different adhesives

Beam-column joints represent critical components in reinforced concrete structures. In recent years, the use of post-installed reinforcing bars has become increasingly widespread for such connections, both in the retrofit of existing structures and in new constructions. Several commercial adhesives exhibit bond strengths significantly higher than typical cast-in reinforcing bars capacities, potentially allowing for a reduction in the required anchorage lengths. This study presents experimental results from full-scale tests on two beam-column joints employing post-installed bars, comparing the performance of two adhesives with different mechanical properties. The results are also compared against current design formulations to evaluate their adequacy in predicting the behavior of such connections.