Uniaxial tensile tests and refined finite element analyses of the grouted welded rib sleeve connections

Abstract

AbstractAs the major connection of precast concrete structure, a novel Grouted Welded Rib Sleeve (GWRS) was proposed in this research. Six splice specimens were designed and tested under uniaxial tensile load to investigate the influence of anchorage length and inner cavity structures on their connection performance. To further investigate the failure mechanism of the specimens, a refined finite element (FE) modeling method was proposed, and the corresponding refined models were established, validated, and analyzed. This research shows that the rebar anchorage length is the key factor that controls the failure modes of the specimens. The failure loads of the specimens are mainly influenced by the failure modes. Distributing sleeve ribs close to the sleeve end with lower 25 mm spacing could enhance the confining effect of the sleeve and improve the interlocking effect between the bar and grout. The conical cracks in the grout are distributed at an angle between 35° and 45°, which is also the distributed angle of the compressive struts of the grout. The bond deterioration observed in the tests is caused by the cracking of the grout and the shearing‐off of the grout keys, resulting in the transfer of sleeve effective confining zone.