Abstract
A novel technique based on strain compliance for investigating the crack spacing of reinforced concrete (RC) tension members has been developed. The new method is based on the mean strain and the partial interaction (stress-transfer) approaches. The strain compliance principle is established by equating together the mean strains of a reinforced concrete block between adjacent primary cracks estimated by the mean strain and the stress-transfer approaches. The distribution of reinforcement strains within the RC block must be known to apply the stress-transfer approach. This technique is intended for the stabilized cracking stage, where formation of new primary cracks has ceased. This work accounts for local effects – fully damaged bond between the concrete and reinforcement near the cracks. Knowledge of a benchmark data point obtained from a reference element is required. The point is defined by the reinforcement ratio, bar diameter and mean crack spacing values. This data point enables the estimation of the mean crack spacing for other RC tension elements. A comparative investigation was carried out, with two different mean strain approaches, following the free-of-shrinkage tension stiffening law and provisions in Eurocode 2. The obtained results provide reasonably accurate estimates of crack spacing compared to experimental values.
Highlights
Concrete as a structural material has many positive features that have led to the wide adoption of it in constructions throughout the world
The average deformation behaviour can be established with relatively high accuracy through mean strain methods present in codes, such as Eurocode 2 (Comité Européen de Normalisation [CEN], 2004) or Model Code 2010 (Fédération Internationale du Béton [FIB], 2013), whereas, approaches representing cracks discretely like the stress transfer approach are able to provide the distribution of strains along the reinforced concrete (RC) element
The latter approach provides another significant advantage of accounting for the local effects, such as debonding zones, that directly relate to the reinforcement strains of the investigated element
Summary
Concrete as a structural material has many positive features that have led to the wide adoption of it in constructions throughout the world. Lapi, Orlando, and Spinelli (2018) have carried out an exhaustive review on code formulations for cracking in concrete which revealed that various linear functions with c, s (reinforcing bar spacing) and φ/ρef as key independent variables were exceedingly. The average deformation behaviour can be established with relatively high accuracy through mean strain methods present in codes, such as Eurocode 2 (Comité Européen de Normalisation [CEN], 2004) or Model Code 2010 (Fédération Internationale du Béton [FIB], 2013), whereas, approaches representing cracks discretely like the stress transfer approach are able to provide the distribution of strains along the RC element The latter approach provides another significant advantage of accounting for the local effects, such as debonding zones, that directly relate to the reinforcement strains of the investigated element. This research extends the available methods with a novel approach for more robust and consistent evaluation of cracking behaviour, and paves the way for future research on compatibility based crack analysis of flexural and tensile reinforced concrete members that minimises or potentially removes the need for any empiricism
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