The use of soundless chemical demolition agents in reinforced concrete deep beam demolition: Experimental and numerical study

Abstract

Soundless chemical demolition agents (SCDAs) have gradually become the first choice for concrete building demolition due to its advantages in avoiding environmental damage. However, the optimal use of SCDAs in engineering practice is poorly documented. This study conducted experimental and numerical studies to solve the problem of reasonable hole layout in reinforced concrete deep beams. A test programme, including eight beam specimens, was first conducted. The vertically downward staggered rows of holes were arranged in the specimens. The experimental results showed that the increased hole diameter corresponded to advanced cracking and improved crushing effect, and the increased concrete strength and hole spacing corresponded to delayed cracking and weakened crushing effect. Moreover, a numerical simulation method for simulating demolition with SCDAs was provided, in which the development trend of cracks could be accurately predicted. Then, the effects of reinforcements were further investigated based on numerical simulation. The numerical results showed that the decreased reinforcement spacing and increased reinforcement diameter corresponded to the enhanced limiting effect on crack development, but the impact of reinforcement spacing and diameter on the cracking time was insignificant. Finally, a novel computational model was proposed to guide the hole layout design. The findings can lay the foundation for the development of the construction industry.