Experimental, analytical and numerical performance of RC beams with V-shaped reinforcement

Abstract

Nowadays the construction process is very much challenging and difficult for the civil engineers. The reinforced concrete (RC) is the most essential and extensively used material which possesses various important properties like compressive and strength. Several attempts have been made in the field of RC technology to flourish such concretes with special characteristics. Investigators all over the world are making efforts to develop high-performance RC by using different arrangements of reinforcement in concrete. The objective of this research work is to evaluate the performance of V-shaped reinforcement in RC beams subjected to four-point loading by experimentally, analytically and numerically. The results are compared with equivalent similar RC beams with conventional reinforcement. During the study, a comparison between all the investigation methods is also carried out. The maximum load, deflection, stresses, ductility and failure patterns of the specimens are monitored, analyzed and compared. From the investigation, it has been observed that the experimental results are closely matched with numerical analysis performed by using ANSYS software and numerical results. Therefore, the benefit of using V-shaped reinforcement can be observed significantly. From the study, it is also found that the load–deflection have a stiffer response, and there is an increase in ductility as well as strength level in compression zone due to the arrangement of V-shaped reinforcement. The V-shaped reinforcement develops the folded plate action, which not only increases the ductility but also allows redistribution of moments and reversal of loading in the beam which leads to avoid the collapse during hazards impact. It is also observed that the mode of damage has been changed from brittle to ductile for the V-shaped reinforced beams in comparison with the conventional reinforced beams. However, the observed failure patterns are identical in both the arrangements. From the study, it is concluded that the beam with V-shaped reinforcement is a good alternative over the beam with conventional reinforcement because it not only enhanced structural performance in all directions but also reduced the total cost.