Effect of Using Partial Continuounity by External Post-Tension on The Simple Composite Beams as a Strengthening Technique

Abstract

Composite steel-concrete beams are used widely in bridge and buildingconstruction as the main structural elements in flexure. These structures have adesign life and this may be reduced if loads are increased or environmentaldegradation occurs. Strength of such structure members and thus replacement orretrofitting may need to be considered. One method of retrofitting (stiffening andstrengthening) a composite steel-concrete beam is to externally post-tension thebeam. The present study focuses on evaluating the effect of adding the externalpost-tension as a strengthening technique on the simple composite beams. Thestudy was conducted using the finite element program ANSYS. Nonlinearmaterial models for the components of the composite beam were used in the finiteelement model. The outcomes got from finite element analysis were confirmedagainst available experimental results. A broad parametric study was conducted toexplore the effect of tendons profiles on flexural behaviour. This covers: loaddeflection behaviour, converting the simple beam into partially continuous beam,verifying an external post-tensioned simple beam.