Concrete Crushing Research Articles

Thin-layer Ultra-High-Strength Engineered Cementitious Composites (UHS-ECC) reinforced with small-diameter FRP bars for structural strengthening

This study proposed a novel strengthening system for reinforced concrete (RC) structures using a thin layer of Ultra-High-Strength Engineered Cementitious Composites (UHS-ECC) reinforced with small-diameter Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) bars. Experimental investigation, digital image correlation analysis, and numerical simulation were conducted to evaluate the flexural performance and failure mechanism of RC beams strengthened with 20-mm UHS-ECC layers and 3-mm FRP bars. It was found that the 20-mm UHS-ECC layer alone improved the load capacity of RC beams by 8.3 %, though with reduced deflection, whereas incorporating two 3-mm FRP bars increased load capacity by up to 40.4 %, without sacrificing deflection. Failure in all specimens was caused by concrete crushing; however, FRP-reinforced UHS-ECC layers mitigated early crack localization, significantly enhancing both strength and ductility. This study also revealed that cast-in-place FRP-reinforced UHS-ECC layers exhibited higher load capacity and could avoid ECC/concrete interfacial cracks compared to epoxy-bonded prefabricated layers. A three-dimensional finite element model was proposed for the strengthening system, and the flexural behavior was successfully predicted. It is revealed that the FRP-to-UHS-ECC bond had a marginal influence on performance, while the bond at the UHS-ECC-to-concrete interface significantly impacted flexural behavior. Remarkably, the small-diameter FRP bar achieved 75 % of its tensile strength at the ultimate stage. These findings underscore the potential of FRP-reinforced UHS-ECC layers as an effective solution for enhancing the mechanical and durability performance of RC structures.

Strength and ductility of concrete columns reinforced with hybrid steel-fiber reinforced polymer composite bars

Using hybrid reinforcement scheme, comprising steel-FRP composite bar (SFCB) and FRP tie, holds great promise in developing seawater sea-sand concrete (SSC) columns with high strength and ductility for marine infrastructures. However, the impacts of FRP tie configurations on hybrid-reinforced SSC columns have not been thoroughly investigated, which hinders their application. To fill this research gap, this study conducted axial compression tests on hybrid-reinforced SSC columns to assess the impacts of tie type, tie size, tie spacing, and tie size/spacing configuration. The failure mechanism of columns, compressive contribution of SFCBs, and confinement mechanism of FRP ties were revealed. The results show that within the tie spacing limit, the failure mode, elastic modulus, yield strength, and ultimate strength of SFCBs are similar. Longitudinal SFCBs effectively resist compression until concrete crushing, providing considerable compressive contributions. However, the confinement efficiency of pultruded FRP ties is limited by the slip of lap splice and the inferior bent portions. In contrast, the closed-type FRP ties exhibit significantly higher confinement efficiency, which increases the load capacity and ductility of columns by 13.6% and 82.8%, respectively. The tie spacing limit was determined and a prediction model of load capacity was proposed based on theoretical analysis and experimental validation.

Evaluation of the Flexural Behavior of One-Way Slabs by the Amount of Carbon Grid Manufactured by Adhesive Bonding

Fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs), which are resistant to corrosion, are used as reinforcement material for concrete. However, the flexural behavior of concrete members reinforced with FRPs can vary depending on the properties of FRPs. In this study, the flexural behavior of one-way concrete slab specimens reinforced with a new grid-type carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) (carbon grid) manufactured by bonding pultruded CFRP strands to an adhesive was investigated. The experimental results indicated differences in the load–deflection relationships of the specimens depending on the carbon grid reinforcement amount. Specimens in which the carbon grids were over-reinforced or reinforced close to the balanced reinforcement ratio reached the maximum load due to concrete crushing and exhibited ductile failure. The specimen under-reinforced with the carbon grid exhibited brittle failure. Specimens with carbon grid reinforcement close to a balanced reinforcement ratio exhibited maximum loads ranging from 0.43 to 0.61 times the calculated flexural strength, which resulted in becoming 0.86–1.00 lower in the specimens with a wider width of the CFRP strands. This study proposes coefficients to estimate the stiffness of carbon-grid-reinforced concrete flexural members after cracking. Applying these coefficients resulted in stiffness calculations that reasonably simulated the behavior of the specimens reinforced with carbon grids after crack formation.

Experimental Study on the Bending Behavior of Precast Concrete Segmental Bridges with Continuous Rebars at Joints

Longitudinal ordinary rebars are discontinuous at the joints of precast concrete segmental bridges (PCSBs), which can open under tensile stresses induced by bending moments. This will lead to durability issues with the joints. To improve the bending properties of PCSBs, a novel joint type featuring continuous rebars was proposed in the present study. Three specimens were subjected to testing to examine the bending behavior of PCSBs using this new joint design compared to traditional joints. The crack propagation, structural deformation, joint opening width, strain in rebars, failure mode, stiffness, and flexural capacity were comprehensively investigated. The test results reveal that the continuous rebars effectively transferred bending normal stress between joints, ensuring full development of cracks in each beam segment. Effective control of joint opening width was also observed. Compared to traditional joints, the new joints exhibited a 29% to 33% increase in cracking load and a 32% increase in ultimate load. Failure in the continuous rebar joints was characterized by partial anchorage failure of the rebars along with localized concrete crushing in the top compression zone. Based on the test results, a computational method was proposed for calculating the cracking strength and flexural capacity of the new joints.

Experimental and numerical analysis of the flexural behavior of slab beam in a 30-year-old reinforced concrete bridge

This paper presents experimental results analyzing the flexural behavior of a 30-year-old reinforced concrete bridge that was dismantled for replacement. The results revealed that the beam underwent three main phases: elastic, cracking, and failure, with a maximum load capacity of 226 kN. The primary failure mode was flexural, characterized by concrete crushing in the compression zone, yielding of the tensile reinforcement, and crack widening up to 1.2 mm. Simultaneously, a numerical model using ATENA software was developed to specifically analyze the flexural behavior of the beam and compare it with experimental results. These results provide important quantitative data for assessing load-bearing capacity and proposing effective repair and strengthening solutions.

Strength Model for Prestressed Concrete Beams Subjected to Pure Torsion

A torsional strength model for prestressed concrete beams was proposed considering the initial crack angle, principal stress angle, and longitudinal strain, which are affected by the axial stress induced by the effective prestress. The use of the torsional effective thickness was also proposed to calculate the torsional strength of prestressed concrete beams by considering the effect of prestress. The shear element in the torsional member was simplified under the assumption that the principal tensile stress and principal compressive strain were negligible in the ultimate state. The torsional strength was determined when the principal compressive stress or shear stress at the crack surface in the shear element reached the failure criterion according to the multipotential capacity model, which considers concrete crushing and aggregate interlocking as the main resistances to the applied load. The proposed strength model was verified using test specimens collected from existing experimental studies. The proposed model accurately evaluated the torsional strength of prestressed concrete beam specimens, regardless of the key variables of the prestressed concrete specimens, where the mean value of the tested results to the calculated torsional strengths was 1.123, and the corresponding coefficient of variation was 17.7% for 104 prestressed concrete beam specimens, while the ACI 318-19 torsional design method gave the mean and coefficient of variation of 0.880 and 24.3%, respectively.

Axial compressive behavior of FRP-confined square CFST columns reinforced with internal latticed steel angles for marine structures

This paper investigates the mechanical response of axially loaded FRP-confined square CFST columns strengthened with internal latticed angles (F-SRCFST) through experimental and analytical methods. The influence of three parameters on the performance is examined, including dimensions of the specimens, configuration of latticed steel angles, and number of CFRP layers. Experimental results demonstrate that concrete crushing in the specimens confined by CFRP exhibits a higher degree of uniformity, with cracks appearing more densely. The latticed steel angles can prevent the development of concrete cracks into the core concrete, while noticeable local buckling of the steel angle between the battens is observed. The enhancement coefficient of steel angles on the load-bearing capacity and energy dissipation ability of F-SRCFST columns is more pronounced when compared to CFRP. The utilization of CFRP and latticed steel angles can effectively improve the problem of inconsistency in square steel tube deformation under axial loading, and both parts exhibit similar effects on the dilation behavior of square CFST columns. A composite confined model was developed to consider the triple constraints of CFRP, external steel tube, and latticed steel angles, and a predictive formula was developed to estimate the load-carrying capability of F-SRCFST columns. The comparative study shows that the predictive formula agrees well with the ultimate axial strengths of F-SRCFST columns.

Behavior of GFRP reinforced concrete columns confined with inner steel spirals

AbstractThe paper investigates the behavior of glass‐fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) reinforced concrete columns with integrated steel spirals (hybrid reinforcement). Six concrete columns were tested under eccentric axial loading, resulting in failure due to bending. Columns with outer steel longitudinal bars experienced steel yielding at peak loads, while those with GFRP outer rebars failed due to concrete crushing. The results revealed that using GFRP as outer longitudinal bars led to peak loads 3–10% lower compared to columns with steel rebars. Inner confinement by steel spirals increased the load‐carrying capacity. Additionally, columns with inner tubular steel exhibited greater strength than those with steel spirals, indicating a slightly enhanced confinement effect. A finite element model was developed to analyze structural behavior, considering both material and geometric nonlinearity. The model's accuracy was validated by comparing predictions with test results. Parametric analysis from the nonlinear FE model showed that eccentricity significantly impacted column load‐carrying capacity. Increasing inner confinement area and the number of inner longitudinal bars improved structural stiffness and load‐carrying capacity. Furthermore, a simplified theoretical method was proposed. Comparison between experimental failure loads and theoretical predictions revealed differences within 20%, indicating satisfactory reliability of the proposed method.

Experimental study on flexural behavior of corroded post-tensioned T- shaped beam

A comprehensive literature review on pre-stressed concrete beams subjected to corrosion reveals that most experimental studies are on rectangular sections even though T-shaped and box sections are more widely used in engineering practice with post-tensioned prestress, in particular for heavy structures like bridges. In this paper, five post-tensioned T-shaped beams were prepared, four of which were subjected to accelerated corrosion, and then all the beams were subjected to the four-point bending test. Special attention was directed to the cracking propagation and failure patterns, load-deflection, load-strain of concrete and steel strand, ductility and flexural capacity of the test beams. The experimental results show that the flexural behavior of the test beams deteriorates with the corrosion degree of prestressed strands, especially when the corrosion degree exceeds 2 %. When the corrosion degree is 8.42 %, the failure pattern of crushing of compressed concrete is changed to the rupture of the wires. The corrosion effects on the load-strain of steel strands depend on corrosion loss, strand position and loading stress state. Corrosion of steel strands reduces the compressive strain of concrete at the same compression position and the ultimate strain of the prestressed strands at the position of beam end. Finally, a numerical model is proposed, which can provide accurate and effective predictions of the failure pattern and flexural capacity of the corroded post-tensioned T-shaped beam.

Experimental and numerical study on cyclic behavior of precast segmental railway bridge columns with lap-spliced rebar connections using UHPC wet joints

A novel lap-spliced connection with ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) was proposed to connect precast railway bridge column segments with footings or cap beams. Two 1:3 scaled specimens were tested under cyclic loads. Specimen PC-LS was a precast column with lap-spliced rebar connection and UHPC wet joints. Specimen CIP was a monolithic column as a reference specimen. The test results revealed that the plastic hinge region of the precast specimen shafted to the upper surface of the UHPC wet joint. The failure mode of the precast specimen was exhibited as the crushing of the core concrete and the buckling/fracture of the longitudinal rebars. Specimen PC-LS experienced larger lateral force, initial stiffness, comparable ductility, and energy dissipation compared to specimen CIP. Additionally, the validated finite-element (FE) models considering the bond-slip effect between concrete and reinforcements were developed. The parametric studies were carried out to further investigate the cyclic behavior of specimen PC-LS. Analytical results demonstrated that the variation of the compressive and tensile strength of UHPC showed little influence on the cyclic behavior of the precast segmental column, which indicated that UHPC with natural curing and lower volume content steel fibers could be used as the wet joint. The precast segmental column had similar lateral force and stiffness with the cast-in-place column when the lap splice length was 10 times of the rebar diameter.

Structural performance of precast concrete sandwich panels with bolt-steel plate connection subjected to axial loading

A new precast concrete sandwich panel with glass fiber-reinforced polymer connectors was proposed, utilizing bolt-steel plate connections. A compressive experiment was carried out to investigate the performance. The main damage was concrete crushing in the bolt connection region, at the panel bottom, and above the joint. The connector type, solid concrete rib, slenderness ratio, and thickness affected the failure mode and bearing capacity. The use of GFRP connectors and solid concrete ribs enhanced the ultimate bearing capacity and stiffness of the panels while reducing the lateral deflection. Higher slenderness ratios leading to reduced axial bearing capacity and increased lateral deflection. Finally, the results of the existing empirical calculation formulae were compared with experimental ones, and they were overly conservative. A new formula for predicting the bearing capacity was proposed, and the difference percentages between the proposed formula and experimental results were −0.4 %–2.8 %, which was the most accurate prediction formula.

Pushout tests on demountable bolted angle shear connectors for steel-concrete composite structures

Welded connectors are commonly utilized in steel-concrete composite construction. However, these connectors lack demountability, hindering the recycling or reuse of steel sections. In response to this limitation, high-strength bolts have been proposed as alternatives to traditional welded shear connectors to facilitate demountability. Nevertheless, the use of numerous high-strength bolts may negatively impact construction costs due to their limited capacity. This paper introduces a novel solution: the bolted angle shear connector. Comprising a standard angle section, a smaller size angle section functioning as a hat, and a high-strength bolt, this connector aims to balance the demountability advantage while avoiding the drawbacks associated with high-strength bolts. To assess its performance, the proposed connector was embedded into a solid concrete block, and horizontal pushout tests were conducted on 31 specimens. Variables considered included the angle section size, bolt diameter, bolt grade, concrete compressive strength, loading direction, and bolt thread condition. The findings reveal that the proposed connectors demonstrate a ductile response, meeting the mandated slip capacity of at least 6 mm according to EN 1994–1-1. Two distinct failure modes were observed: bolt fracture and a combination of concrete crushing and angle bending. The shear resistances at 6 mm slip ranged from 146 kN to 280 kN, influenced by the angle size and concrete compressive strength. Capacities were formulated as functions of these variables, leading to the development of design recommendations, which are presented in this paper.

Bearing capacity and failure behavior of segments with a mid-span opening of a shield subway tunnel

This paper investigates the load-bearing properties and failure mechanisms of shield segments with a circular mid-span opening in shield subway tunnels. Two full-scale specimens with opening diameters of 100 and 200 mm were manufactured and tested, revealing that with an increasing opening diameter, the failure mode transferred from uniform tensile fracture of inner arc concrete to the peeling and crushing of the outer arc concrete. Moreover, the loading process can be divided into four stages, i.e. elastic, plastic expansion, failure, and ultimate stages, and each stage shares a critical load. Subsequently, numerical models were established using the elastoplastic damage constitutive of concrete, and its reliability is verified by the experimental results. Afterward, parametric analysis was performed considering the plain concrete loss and reinforced concrete loss. The analysis results show that the plain concrete loss significantly weakens the cracking load of the segment, while reinforced concrete loss has the greatest impact on the failure load. Finally, a comparative analysis is conducted between the bearing characteristics of the local failure segment, standard shield segment, and the segment joint. Overall, the research results can provide a theoretical basis for the field reinforcement and the safety assessment of local failed shield tunnels.

Seismic behaviors of steel-FRP composite bar-reinforced engineered cementitious composites columns under reversed cyclic loads

The combination of steel-FRP composite bar (SFCB) and engineered cementitious composites (ECC) in structures exposed to harsh conditions can offer benefits in mechanical performance and durability. In this study, the seismic behaviors of SFCB-reinforced ECC and concrete columns were investigated through reversed cyclic loading tests and the effects of matrix types, axial load ratios, and reinforcing bar types were discussed. The results showed that the SFCB-reinforced ECC columns experienced flexural failure characterized by SFCB fracture, whereas the SFCB-reinforced concrete columns failed owing to concrete crushing. The SFCB-reinforced ECC columns showed a 41.5 %− 116.3 % enhancement in deformation capacity and a 34.7 %− 65.2 % improvement in average energy dissipation coefficient compared with SFCB-reinforced concrete columns, which demonstrated that using ECC in SFCB-reinforced columns addressed issues of their low deformation and low energy dissipation capacity. In addition, the plastic hinge length of SFCB-reinforced columns increased substantially with the application of ECC, and the stiffness degeneration and residual deformation were reduced.

Study of the flexural behavior of UHPC-HPC composite beams strengthened with BFRP sheet after chloride secondary erosion

To solve the issue of insufficient durability of reinforced concrete (RC) structures, a new structure of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC)-high performance concrete (HPC) composite beam was designed, and the flexural performance of the composite beam strengthened with basalt fiber reinforced polymer (BFRP) after pre-damage was investigated. Results indicate that main cracks are formed and developed after the secondary erosion of chloride salt, leading to three forms of failure modes of the beams: BFRP sheet fracture and concrete crushing, BFRP sheet debonding and concrete crushing and BFRP sheet debonding. The test beam failure process can be classified into three stages: linear elasticity, crack development and yield. The maximum cracking and ultimate loads increased by 27.9 % and 35.8 %, respectively. The crack load growth rate of the beam decreased after 7 days (d) of secondary chloride salt erosion. The formula for calculating the peel strength of the UHPC-HPC composite beam was modified. The calculated bending capacity of the beam agrees well with the measured value. This study provides a reference for enhancing the lifespan and calculating the flexural bearing capacity of structures in corrosive environments.

Global stability capacity of partially encased composite columns with cruciform-shaped section under axial compression

This paper undertakes a test investigation and finite element (FE) analysis of the stability behavior of partially encased composite (PEC) columns with cruciform-shaped sections. Two PEC column specimens with the same geometric size were tested under axial compression loading, and the difference between the specimens is that the main steel components (MSCs) made of solid-web steel and castellated steel, respectively. The test results show that the two columns exhibited similar failure modes: concrete crushing and global flexural instability. Furthermore,the capacities of both columns were found to be smaller than the corresponding theoretical axial capacities of the composite column section. The test and FE results show that the bearing capacity of the PEC columns with solid-web MSCs is higher than that of the PEC columns with castellated MSCs. The size of the web openings exerts a considerable detrimental impact on the compressive capacity of the PEC column, while the shape and spacing of the openings have little influence on the capacity. In addition, design equations were proposed to predict the stability capacity of the cruciform-shaped section PEC column with both solid-web MSCs and castellated MSCs, in the equations, the castellated MSCs were simplified as the lattice columns with batten plates.

Seismic Performance of Cross-Shaped Partially Encased Steel–Concrete Composite Columns: Experimental and Numerical Investigations

Special-shaped partially encased steel–concrete composite (PEC) columns could not only improve the aesthetic effect and room space use efficiency, but also exhibit good mechanical performance under static load when used in multi-story residential and office buildings. However, research on the seismic performance of special-shaped PEC columns is insufficient and urgently needed. To investigate the seismic performance of cross-shaped partially encased steel–concrete composite (CPEC) columns, three CPEC columns were designed and tested under combined constant axial load and lateral cyclic load. The test results show that the CPEC columns had good load capacity and ductility, and that the columns failed because of concrete crushing and steel flange buckling after the yielding of the steel flange. The plump hysteresis loops indicated that the CPEC column also had good energy dissipation capacity. Due to the constraint of hydraulic jacks, increasing the load ratio would decrease the effective length, thereby increasing the load capacity of the CPEC column and decreasing the ductility. A finite element model was also established to simulate the response of the CPEC columns, and the simulated results agree well with the experimental results. Thereafter, an extensive parametric analysis was performed to study the influences of different parameters on the seismic performance of CPEC columns. For the CPEC column with an ideal hinged boundary condition at the top, its lateral load capacity gradually decreases with the growth of the load ratio and link spacing and increases with the rise of the steel yield strength, concrete compressive strength, flange and web thickness, and sectional aspect ratio. This research could provide a basis for future theoretical analyses and engineering application.

Efficient beam-based model for reinforced concrete walls considering shear-flexure interaction

This paper presents an efficient beam-based modelling scheme for the seismic analysis of reinforced concrete structural walls. The model combines a force-based beam element with a fibre section for flexural response and a zero-length element for shear response. The fibre-based element simulates the nonlinear flexural behaviour through uniaxial material laws that account for concrete cracking, concrete crushing, and yielding and rupture of reinforcing bars. The zero-length element represents the shear behaviour with a trilinear lateral force-displacement curve representing, in a phenomenological way, nonlinear deformations caused by diagonal cracking. The reduction of shear resistance caused by inelastic flexural deformations is accounted for in the model to reproduce failures due to shear-flexure interaction. The model has been validated using data from 52 tests on wall specimens exhibiting flexure, shear and mixed shear-flexure modes from experimental campaigns reported in the literature, showing good accuracy in predicting the effective stiffness, maximum strength and displacement capacities obtained in the tests. Model results for ultimate displacement capacity correlate better with experimental results than simplified code-oriented expressions in performance-based evaluation standards and recommendations. Considering its balanced accuracy and computational efficiency, it is concluded that the proposed modelling scheme can effectively be used for performance-based seismic design and assessment of RC wall buildings.

Finite element analysis of concrete filled steel tubes subjected to cyclic bending

This study introduces a novel Finite Element (FE) modelling approach for accurately simulating the behaviour of Steel Concrete Filled Tubes (CFTs) subjected to both monotonic and cyclic loads. It comprehensively addresses the challenges of modelling low cyclic fatigue in steel and concrete crushing, a critical aspect often overlooked in previous studies. The methodology is rigorously validated against eight experimental tests on circular CFTs, where it exhibits remarkable precision in capturing the complex interaction between steel and concrete under various loading conditions. The prosed modelling is able to accurately catch the degradation, the number of cycles leading to fracture and the failure modes.

Fatigue behavior of RC beams strengthened with iron-based shape memory alloy rebars

This paper presents the experimental research results on the fatigue behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) beams integrated with prestress using iron-based shape memory alloys (Fe-SMAs). Four RC beams reinforced with Fe-SMA rebars as tensile members were fabricated for the fatigue experiments. The experimental variables included the type of load (static and fatigue) and the size of the fatigue load (40 %, 50 %, and 60 % of the maximum load). Before the experiments, prestress was introduced into the Fe-SMA rebars through electric resistance heating. The minimum load for the fatigue test was set at 20 % of the maximum load of the control beam, and the tests were conducted at a frequency of 2 Hz. As the number of fatigue load cycles increased, all specimens exhibited an increasing trend in deflection and strain. The specimens subjected to fatigue loads of 50 % and 60 % of the maximum load failed due to the crushing of the compression concrete and the fracture of the Fe-SMA rebars, respectively. In contrast, the specimen subjected to 40 % of the maximum load showed a similar load resistance capacity to the control beam even after enduring 2 million cycles of fatigue load.