Beam Specimens Research Articles

INVESTIGATION ON CORROSION AND FLEXURAL BEHAVIOUR OF REINFORCED CONCRETE USING MARINE SAND

Traditionally, the construction industry relies on both manufactured sand (known as MF-Sand) and river sand as primary constituents for fine aggregates. However, in response to the dwindling supply of river sand, the contemporary preference is firmly in favor of MF-Sand. This research focuses the utilization of meticulously cleaned marine sand (referred to as MR-Sand) as a superior substitute for MF-Sand, aiming to curtail the reliance on and depletion of river sand, a finite natural resource. The objective of this research is to examine the mechanical property of flexural performance of Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) Beam and durability study of concrete using corrosion test in which washed MR - Sand as a fine aggregate in partial replacement of MF-Sand from 20% to 60%. The physical and chemical characteristics of treated and untreated marine sand are compared with a view to better comprehending the features of MR and MF-Sand. Experimental research works have been carried out to look into the corrosion test and flexural strength in order to better understanding the strength and durability attributes of concrete. The values for flexural strength, ultimate load, load-deflection, load-strain, and crack pattern have been compared for the RCC beam specimens MF100, MR20, MR40 and MR60. The findings indicate that 60% of MR-Sand possesses the desired properties of strength and durability of concrete. Additionally, Finite Element Analysis is carried out using the ABAQUS software to further validate the experimental findings of load-deflection, load carrying capacity, crack pattern and flexural strength.

Effectiveness of shear key on torsional resistance of precast beam: An experimental and numerical investigations

The present study evaluates the behaviour of wet precast beam-to-beam connection under pure torsion through experimental and numerical studies. A wet connection is provided at the central region of the precast beam. Two precast beam elements are connected by welding the overlapped portion of reinforcement bars projecting from each beam element. Furthermore, inward and outward shear keys are provided within the connection region to examine the efficacy of shear keys on the torsional resistance of the precast beam. Also, the behaviour of precast beams with and without shear keys is compared with monolithic beams. Experiments are conducted using a loading frame, designed and fabricated to create a pure torsion effect on the beam specimen under the application of monotonic vertical load. The response of test specimens is evaluated through various parameters such as torque and corresponding twist at different phases of loading, torsional ductility index, crack formation and failure propagation. Experimental studies show that shear keys provided within the connection region effectively contribute to force transfer and enhance torsional resistance of the precast beam by 16 %−24 % as compared to monolithic beam and precast beam without the shear key. A numerical analysis of the precast beam is carried out, and the behaviour of test specimens obtained from experimental studies is compared. The damage pattern and torque-twist behaviour obtained from numerical studies adequately simulate the response of test specimens observed during the experimental study.

Fracture Toughness of Ordinary Plain Concrete Under Three-Point Bending Based on Double-K and Boundary Effect Fracture Models.

Fracture tests are a necessary means to obtain the fracture properties of concrete, which are crucial material parameters for the fracture analysis of concrete structures. This study aims to fill the gap of insufficient test results on the fracture toughness of widely used ordinary C40~C60 concrete. A three-point bending fracture test was conducted on 28 plain concrete and 6 reinforced concrete single-edge notched beam specimens with various depths of prefabricated notches. The results are reported, including the failure pattern, crack initiation load, peak load, and complete load versus crack mouth opening displacement curves. The cracking load showed significant variation due to differences in notch prefabrication and aggregate distribution, while the peak load decreased nonlinearly with an increase in the notch-to-height ratio. The reinforced concrete beams showed a significantly higher peak load than the plain concrete beams, attributed to the restraint of steel reinforcement, but the measured cracking load was comparable. A compliance versus notch-to-height ratio curve was derived for future applications, such as estimating crack length in crack growth rate tests. Finally, fracture toughness was determined based on the double-K fracture model and the boundary effect model. The average fracture toughness value for C50 concrete from this study was 2.0 MPa·m, slightly smaller than that of lower-strength concrete, indicating the strength and ductility dependency of concrete fracture toughness. The fracture toughness calculated from the two models is consistent, and both methods employ a closed-form solution and are practical to use. The derived fracture toughness was insensitive to the discrete parameters in the boundary effect model. The insights gained from this study significantly contribute to our understanding of the fracture toughness properties of ordinary structural concrete, highlighting its potential to shape future studies and applications in the field.

ANN Prediction of Mode I Fracture Energy in Epoxy Adhesive Joints: Adherend, Adhesive, and Strain Rate Effects

In this investigation, the mode I fracture behavior of an epoxy adhesive joint has been investigated to probe the combined effects of adherend Young's modulus and thickness, strain rate, and adhesive length. Experimental fracture testing was conducted on double-cantilever beam (DCB) specimens under three various strain rate thresholds, namely, quasi-static (0.0005 s-1), low (0.015 s-1), and intermediate (0.5 s-1). The specimens were constructed with varying adherend materials (i.e., copper, aluminum), thickness (12-20 mm), and adhesive lengths (25-75 mm). The fracture load was measured in each experiment, and the critical strain energy release rate, JCi, was calculated via a finite element analysis (FEA) in each case. Results with a 95% confidence interval showed adherend thickness had a negligible effect within the investigated range (p-value = 0.462). JCi was significantly impacted by adhesive length (p-value = 0.009) and two other investigated parameters (p-values = 0.000). The development of artificial neural networks (ANNs) with Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) led to the prediction of JCi based on the examined parameters. With a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 8.9% and a mean squared error (MSE) of 683 J2/m4 on unseen test data, the ANN model built in this study was able to predict the JCi in epoxy adhesive joints, indicating its potential to produce an accurate prediction for JCi in epoxy adhesive joints. This work offers insights for precise fracture behavior prediction under mode I stress conditions as well as some helpful information that can be utilized to optimize adhesive joint design.

ANALYSIS OF FLYASH AGGREGATE BEHAVIOR IN GEOPOLYMER CONCRETE BEAMS USING METHOD OF INITIAL FUNCTIONS (MATHEMATICAL PROGRAMMING)

The stipulated performance of flyash aggregates in geopolymer concrete beams (composite beam) has been explained using the Method of Initial Functions (MIF) via mathematical programming. This research has specifically focused on understanding its strength and durability characteristics. Geopolymer concrete is now being evaluated as a successful alternative in terms of sustainability in the construction sector and has used flyash, an industrial by-product, for several years as a major binder. The major theme adopted in the present research is concentrated on the mechanical and structural behavior of geopolymer concrete beams partially replaced by flyash aggregates for civil engineering applications. The present paper focuses on using the Method of Initial Functions to model and analyze beam behavior subjected to various loading conditions within a strong mathematical programming approach. In the current study, an explanatory analysis of the flexural strength, load-deflection characteristics, and crack opening profile is conducted without constructing a beam specimen by using MIF.

Bond behavior of confined rebar in recycled brick aggregate concrete using bending pullout test

The pertinence of recycled brick aggregate (RBA) in concrete structures largely depends on their bonding ability with the rebars. Considering the practical detailing of concrete structures where main rebars are usually confined by stirrups, this study conducted bending pullout tests on 12 beam specimens to study the influence of concrete confinement on the bond behavior of rebar in RBA concrete. The investigated variables include RBA%, rebar diameter (d), embedment length (le), and the ratio of concrete cover to rebar diameter (c/d). Bond stress-slip relationships were acquired, analyzed, and average bond strengths were compared to the AS 3600, CEB-FIP codes, and existing MacGregor's model. The average bond strength of confined specimens was nearly double that of the unconfined specimens. A progressive increase in bond strength was noticed with the presence of RBA regardless of confinement. The confined specimens also exhibited higher deformability, ductility, and toughness values than those of the unconfined beams. At 15% RBA content, the maximum toughness value of the confined specimen was 3078.1 J, while the unconfined specimens reached a value of 278.1 J, only. Similarly, the ductility of the confined beam was found in a range of 1.21–1.60 whereas the value is only 1.04–1.10 for the unconfined cases. Moreover, the confined specimens exhibited a significant number of cracks during their failure, while the unconfined specimens experienced a split type brittle failure. Nevertheless, these findings may contribute to the further development of the bond behavior of rebar in RBA-based concrete structures and thus play a role in the sustainability of construction materials.

Electromagnetic wave-driven deep learning for structural evaluation of reinforced concrete strength

Monitoring the performance of reinforced concrete structures, particularly in terms of strength reduction, presents significant challenges due to the practical limitations of traditional detection methods. This study introduces an innovative framework that incorporates a non-destructive technique using electromagnetic waves (EM-waves) transmitted via Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, combined with two-dimensional (2-D) Fourier transform, fractal dimension analysis, and deep learning techniques to predict reductions in structural strength. Experiments were conducted on three reinforced concrete beam (RCB) specimens exhibiting various levels of reinforcement corrosion. From these, a dataset of 1,800 EMwave images was generated and classified into “normal” and “reduced strength” categories. These categories were used to train and validate a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), which demonstrated robust performance, achieving a high accuracy of 0.91 and an F1-score of 0.93 in classifying instances of reduced structural strength. This approach offers a promising solution for detecting strength reduction in reinforced concrete infrastructures, enhancing both safety and maintenance efficiency.

Nonstationary Characteristics of Structural Response and Fatigue Life Calculation Under Base Stationary Excitation

ABSTRACTWhen a structure is randomly excited by its installation base, significant vibration stress may be caused within it, thus causing damage to the structure. The authors find in the vibration fatigue test that when the notched slender beam specimen is excited by stationary Gaussian random base movement, the measured acceleration response and strain response of the specimen have obvious nonstationary characteristics. The vibration responses of the specimen under Gaussian and non‐Gaussian random base excitations are calculated by the finite element method and corresponding vibration fatigue tests were completed. The nonstationary characteristics of the responses from calculations and experiments are analyzed. Finally, a method for calculating the fatigue life of the specimen under nonstationary response is given, and the calculated results are compared with the measured data. The results indicate that the method proposed in this article performed excellent calculation fatigue life with measured strain data.

Development of a novel crack-resistance technique for concrete slab in the hogging moment region of continuous composite beam

Composite steel-concrete beams offer distinct mechanical advantages. However, concrete cracking in the hogging moment region limits the composite performance of the material. This study presents an innovative technique for enhancing the crack resistance of continuous steel-concrete composite beams, which involves the prestressing of the concrete slab in the hogging moment region through post-tensioning. Following the completion of the concrete slab in the sagging moment region, the prestress is released, thereby preserving pre-compression stress in the hogging moment region without the need for long-term prestressing. This technique is enhanced using uplift-restricted and slip-free connectors, which improve the efficiency of pre-stress introduction. Experimental tests were conducted on composite beams employing this novel technique, alongside numerical simulations. The results indicated that the proposed technique significantly mitigated concrete cracking in the hogging moment region. Specifically, the cracking load of the specimen using the new technique increased by 467 % compared to the traditional composite beam specimen, accompanied by a substantial reduction in both the quantity and width of cracks. Other primary mechanical performance indicators remained relatively similar; however, the new technique exhibited a 14 % increase in the ductility coefficient compared with the traditional method. Additionally, this technique influenced interface slip, moment redistribution, and strain response along the cross-section in both the hogging and sagging moment regions. The numerical results aligned closely with the experimental data, confirming their accuracy and effectiveness. The simulations provided solutions for various construction stages by incorporating different connection constitutive models with adequate precision. A parametric analysis was conducted, revealing a design method for the innovative technique.

Corrigendum to: “The ductility performance of concrete using glass fiber mesh in beam specimens”

Corrigendum to: “The ductility performance of concrete using glass fiber mesh in beam specimens”

Characterization of the mechanical properties of a polyurethane adhesive: Tensile strength and Fracture tests

The aim of this paper is to study the response of a polyurethane-based adhesive when subjected to different loading conditions. To achieve this, double cantilever beam (DCB) and dogbone specimens were manufactured, and tensile strength, fracture and fatigue fracture tests were performed. The results of the tensile tests revealed a tensile strength of 14.5 MPa and an elastic modulus of 0.27 GPa for the studied polyurethane adhesive. The analysis of the fatigue tests showed that fatigue crack growth starts to stabilize after 20% of the test is done, and that the adhesive used is more suitable for static loading conditions than for cyclic loading conditions, since the value of the average , 0.2 N/mm, is much lower than the value of the average , 4 N/mm.

Experimental and analytical study on the bending performance of UHPC‐NC narrow steel box composite beams under negative moments

AbstractA novel UHPC‐NC composite structure was proposed to enhance the load‐bearing capacity of concrete beam bridges under negative bending moments. Parameters including steel fiber content in UHPC, reinforcement ratio, and steel box filling height were varied across 8 UHPC‐NC narrow steel box composite beam specimens. The study involved testing, and measurement of failure modes, crack distribution, deformation characteristics, and crack widths. Additionally, a method for calculating maximum crack widths was developed based on crack distribution patterns. Furthermore, a computational model for predicting the ultimate bearing capacity of UHPC‐NC narrow steel box composite beams was constructed. The computed results aligned closely with experimental findings, validating the accuracy of the proposed computational model.

Experimental investigation of the seismic performance of corroded reinforced concrete coupling beams

In this study, a seismic performance assessment of six reinforced concrete (RC) coupling beam specimens with accelerated corrosion is conducted by combining accelerated corrosion methods with quasistatic loading tests. A detailed comparison of the corrosion damage, failure modes, and mechanical performance differences of the coupling beam specimens under different corrosion levels is presented. The degradation patterns of the coupling beam seismic performance are revealed through analyses of the hysteresis behavior, stiffness degradation, energy dissipation capacity, and proportions of bending, shear, and slip deformations in relation to the corrosion level. The experimental results indicate that with increasing corrosion level, the load-carrying, deformation, and energy dissipation capacities of the coupling beams continuously decrease. The cracking pattern of corrosion-induced cracks is influenced by the reinforcement arrangement, with diagonal reinforcement causing cracks to propagate diagonally. The nonuniform distribution of corrosion leads to asymmetric loading in coupling beam specimens with higher corrosion ratios, significantly weakening the load-carrying and energy dissipation capacities and making the specimens more prone to sudden brittle shear failure without warning. Corrosion-induced damage degrades the shear capacity of the coupling beams, increasing the proportion of shear deformation.

Effect of length-to-height ratio on fracture properties of asymmetrical single-edge notched beam (ASENB) specimen made of ceramic under full range mixed mode I/II loading state

Asymmetrical single-edge notched beam (ASENB) specimen is among the suitable specimens for measuring full mode I/II fracture parameters. However, in lack of a standard or common method, researchers used this specimen with different geometers, which have proven can affect the results. This research evaluated the effect of ASENB’s geometry on fracture parameters numerically and experimentally. First, the finite element method determined the geometry factors (YI and YII) and non-singular (T-stress) fracture parameters. Then, the experimental fracture tests were conducted using ceramic material. Results show it is more reasonable to express the YI and YII based on S1/L and S2/H, instant S1/L, and S2/L. In other words, the geometry factors can be expressed better based on the height of the specimen and not length. So, for ASENB specimens tested in conventional S1/L of 0.7 to 0.9, the pure mode-II condition was generated in 0.05 < S2/H < 0.14. The modeling showed that the non-singular term of fracture (T-stress) was significant compared to fracture toughness, so the Biaxiality was measured as 0.5 to −2.5, more significant for pure mode-II and almost regardless of the a/H ratio. As experimental tests show, the relative length of the ASENB specimen has an insignificant effect on measured fracture toughness, so a more compact specimen with L/H of about 2 to 4 can suggested for tests.

Effect of recycled aggregates with different parent strength and fly ash on flexural strength of recycled aggregate concrete prisms

Fast consumption of conventional ingredients of concrete and waste generated due to demolishing old buildings is a multi-fold problem in the concrete industry. Hence the sustainable alternative of it is the need of the day. In this research work effect of binary blending of demolished waste and fly ash on the flexural strength of plain concrete prism is presented. The properties of aggregates and cement are evaluated. The physical and chemical properties of fly ash were determined. Recycled aggregates from demolished waste with different mix ratios (1:2:4 and 1:1.5:3) were used. Optimization of recycled aggregates; by evaluating concrete cylinders in 12 batches; showed 35% as optimum. At the optimum dosage of recycled aggregates fly ash was used from 2.5% to 15% with an increment of 2.5% to optimize its dosage. Compressive strength test of the standard-size cylinders and their comparison with control concrete showed a 10% dosage of a fly as the optimum percentage to replace the cement in the concrete matrix. Using both optimized dosages of recycled aggregates and fly ash prism specimens of900mmx150mmx300mm were cast in four batches. The beam specimens were cured for 28 days followed by an evaluation of flexural strength and deflection under centric load in the universal testing machine. Test results of flexural strength (only 15% loss) showed good potential for both waste materials in the concrete matrix. Recycled aggregate with higher parent strength showed better performance than its other counterparts. With higher-strength recycled aggregates residual flexural strength was recorded as equal to 93%. For all specimens recorded deflection was within the allowable limits of ACI-318.

Evaluation of mode-I delamination toughness of composites for automotive applications

Abstract With the increasing need for energy efficiency, fiber-reinforced composites are being widely used in the automotive industry. This study investigates the inter-laminar fracture behavior of fiber-reinforced composite double cantilever beam specimens considering a non-zero slope at the root. Experiments were conducted on unidirectional and cross-ply glass fiber reinforced epoxy composite specimens and the critical delamination toughness G I C has been evaluated by the proposed weighted residual equation. The proposed mathematical model requires crack length and the load versus displacement data to evaluate delamination fracture energy. This method accounts the measurement scatter and the rotation at the crack tip. For a particular specimen, the proposed model gives a unique value of critical delamination toughness value. The critical interface failure load estimates utilizing the evaluated delamination toughness agrees well with literature and in-house test results of double cantilever beam specimens.

A proposal for the combined analysis of bone quantity and quality of human cortical bone by quasi-brittle fracture mechanics

Quasi-brittle fracture mechanics is used to evaluate fracture of human cortical bone in aging. The approach is demonstrated using cortical bone bars extracted from one 92-year-old human male cadaver. In-situ fracture mechanics experiments in a 3D X-ray microscope are conducted. The evolution of the fracture process zone is documented. Fully developed fracture process zone lengths at peak load are found to span about three osteon diameters. Crack deflection and arrest at cement lines is a key process to build extrinsic toughness. Strength and toughness are found as size-dependent, not only for laboratory-scale experimental specimens but also for the whole femur. A scaling law for the length fracture process zone is used. Then, size-independent, tissue fracture properties are calculated. Linear elastic fracture mechanics applied to laboratory beam specimens underestimates the tissue toughness by 60%. Tissue fracture properties are used to predict the load capacity of the femur in bending within the range of documented data. The quasi-brittle fracture mechanics approach allows for the assessment of the combined effect of bone quantity and bone quality on fracture risk. However, further work is needed considering a larger range of subjects and in the model validation at the organ length scale.

Numerical evaluation of the performance of UHPC beams under bending and shear loads using different material models

The Microplane and Menetrey-Willam concrete models are formulated on the research work of Bazant and Gambarova and Menetrey-Willam in the nineties respectively. They are used in this thesis to predict how reinforced Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) beams will behave when subjected to flexural and shear dominant loadings. The numerical models are available in ANSYS, and they can simulate UHPC's extraordinary mechanical properties, such as high compression and tension strength, strain hardening, and softening behavior in compression and tension. In this research, four UHPC beams with dimensions of 180 wide by 270 deep by 4000 mm long with tensile reinforcements were studied using the two cementitious composite models mentioned above with the ANSYS software. The beams were investigated under flexural four-point loading and shear three-point loading with the ANSYS program. A quarter-geometric section model of the full beam was considered for the four-point loading to take advantage of symmetry in the longitudinal and transverse directions of the beam. For the three-point loading, the full geometry model of the beam was considered only because of the lack of symmetry. The results from the ANSYS finite element software were validated with an experimental study conducted by different researchers to show its capacity to predict the bending and shear behavior of reinforced UHPC beams. The comparisons of the results of both material models show that they can simulate the behavior of UHPC beams by using experimental load-deflection plots of the beam specimens and force strain plots of the longitudinal tensile reinforcements in the sample beams.

Dynamic fracture characterization of glass fiber composites reinforced with through-thickness nylon fibers

ABSTRACT A detailed experimental study is performed to investigate the mode-I dynamic fracture initiation toughness of through-thickness Nylon fibers reinforced glass/epoxy composites using a wet electrostatic flocking method. Composites of a double cantilever beam specimen configuration of two different deniers 1.5D and 3D of 0.75 mm long Nylon fibers with two different fiber densities 150 and 300 fiber/mm2 and composites without Nylon fibers (control) are fabricated. The dynamic fracture initiation toughness is investigated by using a modified split Hopkinson pressure bar setup with a novel fixture in conjunction with a high-speed video camera. In addition, rate sensitivity on dynamic fracture initiation toughness is also investigated for control and composites of 1.5D with fiber density of 300 fibers/mm2 as a function of three different rates of dynamic fracture toughness ( G ˙ = 1500, 2010, and 2,150 kJ/m2/s). Results show that for the composite of 3D–0.75 mm Nylon fiber, G IC values reach 0.78 kJ/m2 (110% increase) and 1.3 kJ/m2 (250% increase) at flock densities of 150 and 300 fibers/mm2 compared to the control sample with the lowest G IC value at 0.37 kJ/m2. The same pattern is observed for a 1.5D–0.75 mm configuration at the flock fiber density of 150 fiber/mm2 where G IC value demonstrates a 75% increase compared to control conditions. The dynamic fracture initiation toughness of flocked composites demonstrates significant rate sensitivity.

Evaluation of Bond Strength of Concrete Repaired Using Polyurethane Grout Material under Static and Impact Loads Coupled with Statistical Analysis.

The effectiveness of repair work relies on whether the interface substrate can achieve sufficient bond strength when subjected to numerous stresses. This study investigated the bond properties of repaired normal concrete (NC-to-NC) elements, including cube, beam, and U-shaped specimens, after undergoing natural fracture due to flexural and tensile stresses. The specimens were repaired using a polyurethane (PU) matrix by gluing the two parts and applying compression, splitting, and drop-weight impact (DWI) tests to evaluate the bond strength properties. The results revealed that the PU matrix effectively repairs NC substrate with adequate bond strength, which exceeds the minimum allowable bond strength specified in the ASTM ACI 546-06 to rehabilitate damage concrete structures. The reference beams exhibit a peak applied load capacity of 15.6 kN with less deflection than the repaired samples. The compressive strength of the NC-to-NC repaired specimens loaded along and parallel to the interface plane revealed a decrease in compressive strength of 47.3% and 31.5% compared to the NC-R samples, respectively. The mean number of blows at the cracking stages appeared nearly equal for reference and repaired NC-to-NC specimens. The reference specimens exhibited an average number of 24 and 31 blows at the initial and failure stages, respectively, which were higher by 9.1% and 5.2% than the NC-to-NC repaired specimens. The PU binder showed promising results in achieving adequate interfacial bond strength under static and impact loads.