Moment redistribution in RC beams – A study of the influence of longitudinal and transverse reinforcement ratios and concrete strength

Abstract

In this paper, the results from an experimental programme, aimed at investigating moment redistribution in statically indeterminate reinforced concrete structures, are presented and compared with theoretical analysis of the structural behaviour. Due to the nonlinear structural behaviour of reinforced concrete structures, linear elastic analysis can lead to an inaccurate assessment of the behaviour and, therefore, it can become necessary to use more advanced methodologies to achieve sufficiently accurate analysis. Furthermore, more advanced methods can enable a higher degree of performance optimisation of structures than those resulting from the simplified approaches adopted by existing design codes based on linear elastic analysis with redistribution of internal forces. In order to assess the load-carrying capacity at the ultimate limit state (ULS), a model combining plastic and nonlinear analysis is presented. The evolution of moment redistribution to structural collapse was studied experimentally for continuous two-span beams. The focus of the experiments was on the influence of the longitudinal tensile reinforcement ratio at the intermediate support, the transverse reinforcement ratio and the concrete strength. The experimental response at the ULS was further compared with the predicted distribution of internal forces according to the theoretical model. Evaluation of the experimental study indicated a highly nonlinear structural behaviour of the tested beams with the distribution of moment differing from linear elastic analysis, even for low load levels. The evolution of moment redistribution and the moment redistribution at the ULS were appreciably dependent on the arrangement of longitudinal reinforcement, whilst the transverse reinforcement ratio had a marginal impact up to yielding of the longitudinal reinforcing steel, with the concrete strength slightly reducing the degree of moment redistribution. For those beams which failed in flexure, predictions from the theoretical model presented were in good agreement with the experimental results. However, several beams collapsed in shear-related failure modes.