An alternative experimental methodology to determine the diagonal cracking resistance of steel-reinforced concrete beams

Jesús M Romera,Ignacio Marcos,Marta Skaf,Vanesa Ortega-López

doi:10.1016/j.engstruct.2021.112741

Jesús M Romera, Ignacio Marcos + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2021.112741

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Abstract

An alternative experimental method for predicting the diagonal shear cracking resistance of steel-reinforced concrete beams is developed in this paper. Conventional extensometric strain-gauge rosettes are placed on the lateral surfaces of a set of four beams. As diagonal cracking propagates through the beams, the load–strain curves flatten out at a plateau and the mechanical property under consideration may be determined. The method is applied to four beams cast from pumpable and self-compacting concrete mixes with cement types I and IV containing electric arc furnace slag aggregates. The feasibility of applying standard design code formulas to the concretes containing these aggregates may therefore be studied and compared with other recent research works. Accurate experimental results were obtained with this method without having to interrupt the test for subjective visual appraisals of the test specimen.

Highlights

Using the conservative formulas of standard design codes is a safe guard against failure mechanisms
An alternative experimental method for predicting the diagonal shear cracking resistance of steel-reinforced concrete beams is developed in this paper
The aim of this study is to propose an alternative simple and accurate experimental methodology for the determination of the onset of diago nal cracking in Steel Reinforced Concrete (SRC) beams under shear loading

Summary

Introduction

Using the conservative formulas of standard design codes is a safe guard against failure mechanisms. If a non-conventional concrete type that is not specified in the design codes is used or nonstatic or temperature loading is applied, the mechanical behavior requires further investigation. Several studies have been carried out, in order to assess their behavior and applicability to building [1,2,3,4,5,6]. Research on their mechanical behavior at the structural or macro level is scarce [7,8,9]. When the risk of earthquakes is high, it would be of interest to implement structural monitoring by means of non-destructive methods such as acoustic emissions [10]

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