Structural performance of perforated arched self-compacted reinforced concrete beams under concentrated static loading

Abstract

Arched reinforced concrete (RC) beams are a viable solution for use as the main supporting system for large-span halls. This is because of the developed normal force owing to the curvature, which approaches the line of pressure under loading, leading to a balance of the resulting bending moment. Therefore, the curved beam can sustain more applied loads than the ordinary straight beam for the same span. However, providing web openings along the entire span of the arched beam can compromise the ultimate capacity. Thus, the behavior of two-hinged perforated arched RC beams made of self-compacting concrete was investigated experimentally and numerically. The experimental program consisted of 11 RC beams, one straight and 10 arched beams, divided into five groups to study the effects of arching, perforation shape and size, and reinforcement configuration around the perforations. In addition, a parametric numerical study using the ABAQUS program was conducted to investigate the relevant parameters in detail. It was found that the arched beam exhibited remarkable ultimate capacity compared to that of the straight beam; however, the strength gains due to the arching effect reduced significantly due to providing web openings. In addition, it was found that providing additional web reinforcement in both the circular and cross-bar configurations around the perforations significantly enhanced the overall behavior. Furthermore, it was found that the best rise-to-span ratio of arched beams was 0.18 for both solid and perforated ones.