Experimental and Numerical Analysis of High-Strength Concrete Beams Including Steel Fibers and Large-Particle Recycled Coarse Aggregates

In order to study the performances of high-strength concrete beams including steel fibers and large-particle recycled aggregates,four different beams have been designed,tested experimentally and simulated numerically.As varying parameters,the replacement rates of recycled coarse aggregates and CFRP(carbon fiber reinforced polymer)sheets have been considered.The failure mode of these beams,related load deflection curves,stirrup strain and shear capacity have been determined through monotonic loading tests.The simulations have been conducted using the ABAQUS finite element software.The results show that the shear failure mode of recycled concrete beams is similar to that of ordinary concrete beams.The shear carrying capacity of high-strength concrete beams including steel fibers and large-particle recycled coarse aggregates grows with an increase in the replacement rate of recycled coarse aggregates.Reinforcement with CFRP sheets can significantly improve the beam’s shear carrying capacity and overall resistance to deformation.

Seismic Behavior of Diaphragm-Through Connections of Concrete-Filled Square Steel Tubular Columns and H-Shaped Steel Beams

Based on the introductions of a type of diaphragm-through connection between concrete-filled square steel tubular columns (CFSSTCs) and H-shaped steel beams,a finite element model of the connection is developed and used to investigate the seismic behavior of the connection.The results of the finite element model are validated by a set of cyclic loading tests.The cyclic loading tests and the finite element analyses indicate that the failure mode of the suggested connections is plastic hinge at the beam with inelastic rotation angle exceeding 0.04 rad.The suggested connections have sufficient strength,plastic deformation and energy dissipation capacity to be used in composite moment frames as beam-to-column rigid connections.

Mechanical performance of shear studs and application in steel-concrete composite beams

This work experimentally investigates the effects of shear stud characteristics on the interface slippage of steel-concrete composite push-out specimens. ABAQUS is used to establish a detailed 3D finite element(FE) model and analyze the behavior of push-out specimens. The modeling results are in good agreement with the experimental results. Based on parametrical analysis using the validated FE approaches, the effects of important design parameters, such as the diameter, number, length to diameter ratio, and yield strength of studs, concrete strength and steel transverse reinforcement ratio, on the load-slip relationship at the interface of composite beams are discussed. In addition, a simplified approach to model studs is developed using virtual springs with an equivalent stiffness. This approach is demonstrated to be able to predict the load-displacement response and ultimate bearing capacity of steel-concrete composite beams. The predicted results show satisfactory agreement with experimental results from the literature.

Seismic Behaviour of Beam-Column Joints of Precast and Partial Steel Reinforced Concrete

A beam-column joint of precast and partial steel reinforced concrete( PPSRC) is proposed for precast reinforced concrete frames. The PPSRC consists of partial steel and reinforced concrete. The partial steel is located in the core joint region and the connections between concrete members. This paper presents an experimental study of a series of PPSRC specimens. These specimens are tested under low cyclic loading.Experimental results demonstrate that the bearing capacity of the PPSRC specimens is 3 times that of the ordinary reinforced concrete( RC) beam-column joints. The strength and stiffness degradation rates are slower compared with that of the RC beam-column joints. In addition,the strength of the core joint region and the connections is higher than other parts of the PPSRC specimens. Beam failure occurs firstly for the PPSRC specimens,followed by column failure and connections failure. The failure of the core joint region occurs finally.Test results show that the seismic performance of the PPSRC is better than that of the ordinary RC beam-column joints.

Experimental study on ultimate flexural capacity of steel encased concrete composite beams

Based on the experimental study and inelastic theory, the ultimate flexuralcapacity of steel encased concrete composite beams are derived. The difference between steel encasedconcrete composite beams with full shear connection and beams with partial shear connection,together with the relationship between the inelastic neutral axis of steel parts and concrete parts,are considered in the formulae. The calculation results of the eight specimens with full shearconnection and the three specimens with partial shear connection are in good agreement with theexperimental data, which validates the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed calculationmethods. Furthermore, the nonlinear finite element analysis of the ultimate flexural capacity of thesteel encased concrete composite beams is performed. Nonlinear material properties and nonlinearcontact properties are considered in the finite element analysis. The finite element analyticalresults also correlate well with the experimental data.

The Design and Analysis of Long-Span and Low-Depth Prestressed Composite Steel-Concrete Beam Bridge

The design scheme of long span and low depth composite steel concrete beams is introduced, and the methods of avoiding the cracking of concrete deck in the negative moment regions are proposed. Moreover, significant exploration for problems of the composite beams has been made, such as optimizing construction steps to regulate the stress, applying jacking technique to exert prestress on the concrete deck, investigating the uplifting force principle of the shear connectors by means of model test and non linear finite element analysis, and pointing out the countermeasure to reduce tension force of the shear connectors.

Experimental Study on Force Behavior of Steel Rein forced Concrete Transfer Beam Structure with Basement of Large Space

Based on comparative test of two transfer story models, in one of which the transfer beam and basement column is constructed of steel reinforced concrete, and the other is constructed of ordinary reinforced concrete, its force behavior, ductility and failure mechanism under vertical and horizontal loads are studied. The results show that loading bearing and seismic behavior of transfer story structure with steel reinforced concrete beam and basement column is good. The relative design suggestion is put forward.

Behavior of reinforced concrete beams and columns subjected to blast loading

In this study, the blast performance of steel reinforced concrete(RC) beams was experimentally and analytically investigated. The experiment consists of a total of 10 one-half-scale beams subjected to different levels of blast loading using live explosives. The reflected pressure-time histories were recorded and different damage levels and modes were observed. The blast resilience of the damaged beams was quantified by measuring the time-dependent displacements. Experiment results show that the damage in steel reinforced concrete beams with higher explosive mass is enhanced compared with that of the beams with smaller explosive mass at the same scaled distance. Based on the experiment data, an empirical expression is developed via dimensional analysis to correct the relationship between the midspan displacement and scaled distance. Besides, a complex single degree of freedom model(SDOF)incorporating complex features of the material behavior, high strain-rate effect and the column geometry was proposed and validated by test results.

Experimental and analytical study on seismic behavior of steel-concrete multienergy dissipation composite shear walls

In this paper, a steel-concrete multi-energy dissipation composite shear wall, comprised of steel-reinforced concrete （SRC） columns, steel plate （SP） deep beams, a concrete wall and energy dissipation strips, is proposed. In order to study the multi-energy dissipation behavior and restorability after an earthquake, two stages of low cyclic loading tests were carded out on ten test specimens. In the first stage, test on five specimens with different number of SP deep beams was carried out, and the test lasted until the displacement drift reached 2%. In the second stage, thin SPs were welded to both sides of the five specimens tested in the first stage, and the same test was carried out on the repaired specimens （designated as new specimens）. The load-bearing capacity, stiffness, ductility, hysteretic behavior and failure characteristics were analyzed for both stages and the results are discussed herein. Extrapolating from these results, strength calculation models and formulas are proposed herein and simulations using ABAQUS carried out, they show good agreement with the test results. The study demonstrates that SRC columns, SP deep beams, concrete wall and energy dissipation strips cooperate well and play an important role in energy dissipation. In addition, this study shows that the shear wall has good recoverability after an earthquake, and that the welding of thin SP＇s to repair a deformed wall is a practicable technique.

Experimental study and analysis on fatigue stiffness of RC beams strengthened with CFRP and steel plate

The objective of this work is to investigate the fatigue behavior of reinforced concrete(RC) beams strengthened with externally bonded carbon fiber reinforced polymer(CFRP) and steel plate. An experimental investigation and theoretical analysis were made on the law of deflection development and stiffness degradation, as well as the influence of fatigue load ranges. Test results indicate that the law of three-stage change under fatigue loading is followed by both midspan deflection and permanent deflection, which also have positive correlation with fatigue load amplitude. Fatigue stiffness of composite strengthened beams degrades gradually with the increasing of number of cycles. Based on the experimental results, a theoretical model by effective moment of inertia method is developed for calculating the sectional stiffness of such composite strengthened beams under fatigue loading, and the calculated results are in good agreement with the experimental results.

Influence of steel corrosion to flexural behavior of coral aggregate concrete beam

To study the flexural behavior and calculation model,8 coral aggregate concrete(CAC)beams with different types of steel were designed.The flexural behavior of CAC beam was tested.The failure mode,bearing capacity,the maximum crack width(ws)and average crack spacing(lm)were studied.A calculation model for the bearing capacity of CAC beam was proposed.The results indicated that with the steel strength increased,the cracking moment(Mcr)and ultimate moment(Mu)of CAC beam increased,and the development of the ws gradually slowed,which effectively inhibited the formation of cracks and improved the flexural behavior of CAC beam.For CAC structures in the ocean engineering,it is recommended to use organic new coated steel to extend its effective service life.In addition,considering the influence of steel corrosion,a calculation model for the Mcr,Mu,lm and ws of CAC beam was established.

Structural Behavior of Continuous Prestressed Steel Fiber Reinforced High Strength Concrete Beam

The flexural behaviors of continuous fully and partially prestressed steel fiber reinforced high strength concrete beams are studied by experiment and nonlinear finite element analysis. Three levels of partial prestress ratio （PPR） are considered, and three pairs of two-span continuous beams with box sections varying in size are designed. The major parameters involved in the study include the PPR and the fiber location. It is concluded that the prestressed high strength concrete beam exhibits satisfactory ductility; the influences of steel fiber on the crack behaviors for partially prestressed beams are not as obvious as those for fully prestressed ones; steel fibers can improve the structural stiffness after cracking for fully prestressed high strength concrete beams; the moment redistribution from mid-span to intermediate support in the first stage should be mainly considered in practical design.

Experimental research on mechanical properties of prestressed truss concrete composite beam encased with circular steel tube

Tests of 4 simply supported unbonded prestressed truss concrete composite beams encased with circular steel tube were carried out. It is found that the ratio of the stress increment of the unbonded tendon to that of the tensile steel tube is 0.252 during the using stage,and the average crack space of beams depends on the ratio of the sum of the bottom chord steel tube's outside diameter and the secondary bottom chord steel tube's section area to the effective tensile concrete area. The coefficient of uneven crack distribution is 1.68 and the formula for the calculation of crack width is established. Test results indicate that the ultimate stress increment of unbonded tendon in the beams decreases in linearity with the increase of the composite reinforcement index β0. The pure bending region of beams accords with the plane section assumption from loading to failure. The calculation formula of ultimate stress increment of the unbonded tendon and the method to calculate the bearing capacity of normal section of beams have been presented. Besides,the method to calculate the stiffness of this sort of beams is brought forward as well.

Analysis and seismic tests of composite shear walls with CFST columns and steel plate deep beams

A composite shear wall concept based on concrete filled steel tube （CFST） columns and steel plate （SP） deep beams is proposed and examined in this study. The new wall is composed of three different energy dissipation elements： CFST columns; SP deep beams; and reinforced concrete （RC） strips. The RC strips are intended to allow the core structural elements - the CFST columns and SP deep beams - to work as a single structure to consume energy. Six specimens of different configurations were tested under cyclic loading. The resulting data are analyzed herein. In addition, numerical simulations of the stress and damage processes for each specimen were carried out, and simulations were completed for a range of location and span-height ratio variations for the SP beams. The simulations show good agreement with the test results. The core structure exhibits a ductile yielding mechanism characteristic of strong column-weak beam structures, hysteretic curves are plump and the composite shear wall exhibits several seismic defense lines. The deformation of the shear wall specimens with encased CFST column and SP deep beam design appears to be closer to that of entire shear walls. Establishing optimal design parameters for the configuration of SP deep beams is pivotal to the best seismic behavior of the wall. The new composite shear wall is therefore suitable for use in the seismic design of building structures.

Experimental research on shear carrying capacity of H-steel concrete composite beam with small shear span ratio

In order to investigate shear carrying capacity of H-steel concrete beam with small shear span ratio,shear test on 5 H-steel concrete composite beams with small span ratio (from 0.7 to 1.1) are reported,including test design,test scheme,test method,failure characteristics and test results. Influences of shear span ratio,web of H steel and concrete on shear carrying capacity of this kind of beam are investigated. The main components comprising shear bearing capacity are analyzed. The results show that with the shear span ratio increasing,the contribution of web of H steel and concrete on shear carrying capacity decrease. Based on test data,the calculation formula of shear carrying capacity for this beam is established by curve fitting.

Flexural Behaviour of High－Strength Steel Fiber－Reinforced Concrete Beams

This paper presents the research results of twelve high strength concrete beams reinforced with steel fibers and bars. Fiber type I and II reduce the deflection by more than 25% and increase the ultimate load by about 10% compared to high strength concr

Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis of Steel Fiber Reinforced Concrete Deep Beams

By the nonlinear finite element analysis （FEA） method, the mechanical properties of the steel fiber reinforced concrete （SFRC） deep beams were discussed in terms of the crack load and ultimate bearing capacity. In the simulation process, the ANSYS parametric design language （APDL） was used to set up the finite element model; the model of bond stress-slip relationship between steel bar and concrete was established. The nonlinear FEA results and test results demonstrated that the steel fiber can not only significantly improve the cracking load and ultimate bearing capacity of the concrete but also repress the development of the cracks. Meanwhile, good agreement was found between the experimental data and FEA results, if the unit type, the parameter model and the failure criterion are selected reasonably.

Fatigue tests of composite beam by steel fiber reinforced self-stressing concrete in the hogging bending

Through the experiments of 7 T-section composite beams, steel fiber reinforced self-stressing concrete （SFRSC） as the composite beam in the composite layer was studied under the hogging bending. The tests simulated composite layer tensile strain under the hogging bending of inverted loading composite beams, giving the relationship under the different fatigue stress ratios between fatigue cycles and steel bar’s stress range, crack width, stiffness loss and damage, etc., in composite layer. This article established fatigue life equation, and analyzed SFRSC reinforced mechanism to crack width and stiffness loss. The results show that SFRSC as the composite beam concrete has excellent properties of crack resistance and tensile, can reinforce the fatigue crack width and stiffness loss of composite beams, and improve the durability and in normal use of composite beams in the hogging bending zone.

Shear Behavior of Novel Prestressed Concrete Beam Subjected to Monotonic and Cyclic Loading

Prestressed steel ultrahigh-strength reinforced concrete(PSURC) beam is a new type of prestressed concrete beam, which not only has a considerable compressive strength attributed to the ultrahigh strength concrete, but also ensures a certain degree of ductility at failure due to the existence of structural steel. Five of these beams were monotonically tested until shear failure to investigate the static shear performance including the failure pattern, loaddeflection behavior, shear capacity, shear crack width and shear ductility. The experimental results show that these beams have superior shear capacity, crack control ability and shear ductility. To study the shear performance under repeated overloading, seven PSURC beams were loaded in cyclic test simultaneously. The overall shear performance of cycled beams is similar to that of uncycled beams at low load level but different at high load level. The shear capacity and crack control ability of cycled beams at high load level are reduced, whereas the shear ductility is improved. In addition, the influences of variables including the degree of prestress, stirrup ratio and load level on the shear performance of both uncycled and cycled beams were also discussed and compared, respectively.

Replacing Stirrups of Self-Compacting Concrete Beams with Steel Fibers

Based on the investigation of fiber influence on workability of self-compacting concrete (SCC), tests were carried out on two series of SCC rectangular simply supported beams, which were made of hooked steel fibers reinforced concrete with or without stirrups, subjected to four-point symmetrically placed vertical loads. The major test variables are steel fiber contents and stirrup ratios. The results indicate that the ultimate load significantly increases with the increase of fiber content; the addition of ...