Correlation between Roles of Transverse Reinforcement and Steel Fibers in Confining Tension Lap Splices in High-Strength Concrete

Abstract

Two studies were conducted to assess the effects of confinement provided for tension lap splices anchored in high-strength concrete (HSC) beams on bond strength of the splices and mode of failure of the beams. Beams of the same bar size in the 2 studies were identical except for the type of confinement used in the splice region. In the 1st study, steel fibers of different volume fractions were used; in the 2nd study, transverse reinforcement was placed in various amounts. Results of both studies indicate positive effects of the provided confinement on the bond strength of the tension lap splices and on the mode of failure. The aim of this paper was to use the results of the 2 studies to correlate between the amount of transverse reinforcement placed in the splice region and the volume fraction of fiber reinforcement added in the splice region during the casting procedure needed to improve the bond capacity and ductility of the mode of failure of tension lap splices embedded in HSC.