Flexure Zone Research Articles

Effect of loading type in concrete deep beam with strut reinforcement

Abstract This study examined eight specimens of two groups of deep beam (DB) with the same dimensions and reinforcement quantity, where the first group had four specimens tested under two-point loads and the second group had four specimens tested under one-point load (Ammash HK, AL-Mousawi MM. Experimental investigation of deep beam reinforced with different types of reinforcement. Eng Technol Appl Sci Res. 2021;11(2):7585–90.) where both groups have the same reinforcement and the dimensions and difference between the groups was only the type of load. Digital image correlation technology software was used to verify the results. Upon examining the results, each group had one reference specimen with conventional reinforcement and the other three specimens were with strut reinforcement. It was observed that the strut reinforcement technique was more effective than the conventional reinforcement. This study also found that the load capacity was decreased at two-point loads from one-point load. The results from the present study were compared to those from a prior study (Ammash HK, AL-Mousawi MM. Experimental investigation of deep beam reinforced with different types of reinforcement. Eng Technol Appl Sci Res. 2021;11(2):7585–90.) that only employed a one-point load. The concrete type, its dimensions, and its method of reinforcing were the same as Ammash and AL-Mousawi’s (Experimental investigation of deep beam reinforced with different types of reinforcement. Eng Technol Appl Sci Res. 2021;11(2):7585–90.) study. The maximum load capacity for SC (Reference DB specimen) and S10 (the deep strut beam employed a specimen with 100% reinforcement from the reinforced web) specimens for one-point load were more tolerant to stress than the two-point loads, with 15% for SC and 27% for S10 as both specimens had comparable amounts of reinforcement. When a force is applied that is less than the sum of the two load points, cracks occur in the shear and flexural zones at one load point. We have found that the use of two-point loads leads to a decrease in the maximum load capacity of specimens when compared with a one-point load. It was also noted that cracks are formed in the shear and flexural zones at one-point load when a load less than the two-point load is applied. It was also observed that when two-point loads were applied to a specimen, the displacement was less than half of what it was when tested under a one-point load, and the strain in specimens examined under two-point load was lower than in specimens examined under one point load.

Strengthening of GFRP Reinforced Concrete Slabs with Openings

Using fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) could effectively improve the strength and endurance of reinforced concrete (RC) constructions. This study evaluated the flexural behavior of one-way concrete slabs with openings reinforced with glass fiber-reinforced polymers (GFRP) bars. It strengthened using carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets around the openings. The experimental program of this study is adopted by casting and testing four one-way concrete slabs with dimensions of (150*750*2650) mm. These slabs are divided into two groups based on whether they were strengthened or un-strengthened. For each group, two different openings (either one rectangular or two square) measured 250*500 mm and 250*250 mm, respectively, were fabricated within the pure flexural zone of the specimens. The experimental results indicate that using CFRP strips increases the maximum load capacity by around 29% for the slab with one rectangular opening and 21% for the slab with two square openings compared to the un-strengthened slabs. On the other hand, the deflection at a service load is decreased by about 35% and 37% for the slabs mentioned above, respectively.

Performance of FRP-Upgraded RC One-Way Ribbed Slabs with an Opening in Flexure Zone

Reinforced concrete (RC) one-way ribbed slabs serve as a prevalent flooring solution in the Middle East. In this region, the occurrence of openings within these slabs is frequent, particularly when making modifications to existing buildings. However, these openings compromise the stiffness and load-bearing capacity of the slabs, necessitating strengthening measures. All of the available investigations were carried out on strengthening RC one- and two-way solid slabs with openings. However, a noticeable research gap exists, as none of these studies have delved into the strengthening of RC one-way ribbed slabs with openings. This gap was bridged in this study by conducting a comprehensive experimental inquiry into the effectiveness of utilizing fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) laminates to restore the flexural capacity of RC one-way ribbed slabs featuring flexure openings. The experimental program comprised four half-scale one-way ribbed slabs (having three ribs) divided into one unstrengthened specimen without openings to act as a reference, one unstrengthened specimen with a single opening located in the peak-moment region, and two FRP-strengthened slabs each having a single opening located in the peak-moment region. The dimensions of each slab were 2600 mm (length) × 825 mm (width) × 175 mm (thickness). The openings were square (side length = 400 mm), which included cutting the middle rib. The slabs were tested under four-point flexure until failure. It was revealed that strengthening slabs using FRP sheets fully restored the flexural capacity, which was even exceeded by up to 8%. However, the secant stiffness and dissipated energy were partially restored compared with the unstrengthened slab without opening, and these response parameters were reduced by up to 19% and 32%, respectively. Moreover, the displacement ductility for strengthened specimens was moderately reduced compared with the unstrengthened specimen without opening. Furthermore, an analytical procedure was suggested based on section analysis for quick and reasonable assessment of the peak load for both unstrengthened and strengthened one-way ribbed slabs with and without flexure openings.

Transverse Dinaric zone of increased compression between the Kraški rob and Hrušica Regions, NE Microadria

The Kvarner fault divides the Microadria (Adria microplate, the Adria stable core) into the Po and Adria segments. The Istra block, which is sandwiched between the right-lateral Kvarner Fault and the left-lateral Sistiana Fault lies at the extreme eastern edge of the Po segment. Both faults run transversely to the Dinarides and reach their thrust boundary in the east. The Microadria has been moving towards the Dinarides since the Middle Miocene. The movement of the Istra block is exposed in relation to the neighbouring blocks, so an extensive pushed area (the Istra Pushed Area) was formed in the External Dinarides, which is bent towards the northeast. It is defined by two flexural zones, one lying in the extension of the Sistiana Fault and the other in the extension of the Kvarner Fault. The structure of the Dinaric thrust border on the north-eastern side of the Istra block is complex. Its prominent structural element is the Črni Kal Anomaly, due to which a zone of increased compression developed within the Istra Pushed Area and transversely to the Dinarides (Kraški rob – Hrušica Traverse), which lies between the Sistiana and Kvarner Flexural Zones. In terms of kinematics, it differs greatly from these two, and various geomorphologically responsive deformations have occurred within it. Mt. Vremščica (1027 m), which represents a transpressive anticline within the wider zone of the Raša Fault is the most prominent. In order to understand the genesis of the Classical Karst relief, it is important to know that the Mt. Vremščica ridge rose from the levelled karst surface.

Composite Cold-Formed Steel Beams with Diagonal Rebars for Earthquake-Resistant Buildings.

The construction industry is on the lookout for cost-effective structural members that are also environmentally friendly. Built-up cold-formed steel (CFS) sections with minimal thickness can be used to make beams at a lower cost. Plate buckling in CFS beams with thin webs can be avoided by using thick webs, adding stiffeners, or strengthening the web with diagonal rebars. When CFS beams are designed to carry heavy loads, their depth logically increases, resulting in an increase in building floor height. The experimental and numerical investigation of CFS composite beams reinforced with diagonal web rebars is presented in this paper. A total of twelve built-up CFS beams were used for testing, with the first six designed without web encasement and the remaining six designed with web encasement. The first six were constructed with diagonal rebars in the shear and flexure zones, while the other two with diagonal rebars in the shear zone, and the last two without diagonal rebars. The next set of six beams was constructed in the same manner, but with a concrete encasement of the web, and all the beams were then tested. Fly ash, a pozzolanic waste byproduct of thermal power plants, was used as a 40% replacement for cement in making the test specimens. CFS beam failure characteristics, load-deflection behavior, ductility, load-strain relationship, moment-curvature relationship, and lateral stiffness were all investigated. The results of the experimental tests and the nonlinear finite element analysis performed in ANSYS software were found to be in good agreement. It was discovered that CFS beams with fly ash concrete encased webs have twice the moment resisting capacity of plain CFS beams, resulting in a reduction in building floor height. The results also confirmed that the composite CFS beams have high ductility, making them a reliable choice for earthquake-resistant structures.

Performance evaluation of graphite-integrated smart-engineered cementitious composite for health monitoring of structural components

This research explores the electro-mechanical characteristics of graphite powder (GP) integrated Self-Sensing Cement Composite (SCC). In addition to the development, the created SCC is used in beams and columns to evaluate their structural performance under flexural and compressive load, respectively. Field Element Scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) analysis is conducted to examine the morphological characteristics of the optimized SCC. X-Ray diffraction (XRD) analysis is used to examine the formation of chemical constituents responsible for the property variation. The research findings indicate that the resistivity of composites containing 25% GP is lowered by 43.90%. Due to the hydrophilicity between GP and cement, the strength of SCC is lowered as the concentration of GP increases. The SCC embedded in the flexural zone of beams has the capacity to detect deformation with an accuracy of 98%. The electrical resistivity of SCC in columns rapidly decreases with increasing deflection as a result of SCC compression, indicating that SCC can monitor column deformation with an efficiency of about 96% up until the elastic regime. After characterization, strength, and resistivity evaluations, GP is finally validated as a promising material for SCC development and application in structural health monitoring.

Development and performance evaluation of self-healing concrete railway sleepers using different size PU tubes

The rail seats and middle are the main critical zones in railway concrete sleepers wherein the damage normally occurs due to high positive and negative bending moments, respectively. To address this issue, self-healing concrete railway sleepers (SHCRS) were developed by reinforcing the sleepers with polyurethane (PU) filled glass tubes, and their bending performance was subsequently investigated. A total of sixteen full-scale reinforced concrete railway sleepers with different diameters of glass tubes (4 mm and 9 mm) and lengths (50 mm and 200 mm) were manufactured and tested under three-point bending at the rail seat up to 440 kN for intact and 220 kN for damaged sleepers, as well as in the middle of the sleepers at 160 kN for intact and 70 kN for damaged sleepers. The digital image correlation (DIC) method was used to study the fracture behavior of SHCRSs, evaluating the crack strains and crack width openings, and their behavior was compared with conventional reinforced concrete sleepers. Short tube sleepers perform better in the rail seat where they have a further distance to the maximum flexural zone than the middle does, almost 60 mm. Meanwhile, long tube sleepers have a better performance in the middle of the sleeper, with a distance of 40 mm from the maximum flexural zone due to the greater slenderness of long tubes as opposed to short tubes. A FE model was developed to measure different slenderness ratios for long and short tube sleepers. The results show that the slenderness ratio and surface area to volume ratios (sa/vol) of the PU tubes have a significant effect on the healing of damaged sleepers. Decreasing the slenderness ratio from 250 to 200 on the short tubes increases the applied stress by 11 % in the rail seat and 450 % in the middle of the sleeper.

Effect of Position of Opening in RC Beams Subjected to Flexure and Shear

Effect of Position of Opening in RC Beams Subjected to Flexure and Shear

Near surface mounting technology with glass fibre reinforced polymer and sisal rope fibre for flexural strengthening of reinforced concrete beams

Using the near-surface mounted (NSM) technique, the purpose of this work is to investigate effectiveness of the flexural strengthening of the reinforced concrete (RC) beam. Extruded Glass Fibre Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) bars and sisal rope fibres are both being used as part of the research project in order to enhance the material. Following that, the purpose of this research is to evaluate the impact that embedment length has on the flexural behaviour of the beams. In order to accomplish this goal, the NSM reinforcements were either placed throughout the length of the beam or in the flexure zone (max bending moment area). In all, ten beams were put through the two-point load testing procedure. The results of the tests showed that beams strengthened with GFRP bars performed better than those that had been mended with sisal ropes. The GFRP strengthened beams showed increase of 28% in flexural capacity of the beam whereas the sisal rope strengthened beams showed 16% increase in the flexural capacity of the RC beam. In addition, beams that were retrofitted with NSM reinforcements over the whole length of the beam exhibited enhancement 8% in flexural capacities than beams that were just modified in the flexure zone (maximum bending moment region).

Flexural behavior of concrete beams with horizontal and vertical openings reinforced by glass-fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars

Abstract This study conducted an analytical investigation on the behavior of concrete beams with openings reinforced by glass-fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars. In this study, five proposed beams reinforced by GFRP bars as flexural and shear reinforcement with openings were numerically examined. The variables were the opening orientation (vertical and horizontal) and the number of openings. These openings were located within the flexural zone of the proposed beams. The result shows that the vertical openings had a significant effect over the horizontal openings on reducing the ultimate load and increasing the mid-span deflection compared with the control beam. Moreover, the results showed that when replacing two adjacent openings by one equivalent opening, the capacity of the beam is decreased.

Strengthening of Reinforced Concrete Beams with Circular Opening at Flexure Zone by Various Types of Fiber Reinforced Polymer

This paper aims to investigate the flexural behaviour of reinforced concrete (RC) beams containing circular opening at mid-beam span and strengthened using externally bonded Textile Reinforced Concrete (TRC) sheets, Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) sheets and Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) plates. The flexural behaviour including ultimate load, deflection, crack pattern as well as failure mode was investigated. Five RC beams with the dimensions of 1700 mm length and cross section of 200 mm x 250 mm with design concrete strength of 64 N/mm2 were tested under 4-points loading. The tested RC beams consists of solid beam as a control beam, unstrengthened RC beam with circular opening and strengthened RC beams with circular opening. The circular opening with ratio of 0.32 is classified as small opening with diameter of 80 mm was kept constant for all beam specimens. The inclusions of circular opening at the middle of beam span slightly decreased the ultimate load of beam about 6.2% compared to control beam. The reduction of stiffness was also experienced in RC beam with opening. The application of strengthening in beams with circular openings manages to regain the beam capacity about 17.5 to 22.6% higher than the unstrengthened RC beams with opening.

Electro-mechanical investigations of steel fiber reinforced self-sensing cement composite and their implications for real-time structural health monitoring

Self-Sensing Cement Composites (SSC) made from cementitious composites with electrically conductive elements have many applications in structural health monitoring (SHM). Because of their compatibility and endurance, SSC outnumbers traditional piezoelectric and fiber optic sensors in SHM. This study aims to develop a self-sensing composite using steel fibers and silica fume. Silica fume is utilized in the composite to improve strength and accelerate material dispersion. In addition to compressive strength and conductivity, which are crucial for self-sensing characteristics, the research also focuses on piezoresistivity and sensitivity of a composite to have real-time applications in SHM. The performance index approach is used to optimize the SSC with combined strength, conductive and sensing characteristics. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-Ray diffraction (XRD), and Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDAX) investigations are carried out to study the morphology characteristics that induce strength and conductivity to the composite. The optimized SSC is embedded at the compression zone, tensile zone, and combined flexure-shear zone (500 mm from beam center) in the beam and at the center of columns to monitor their performance (deflection). According to the research findings, steel fibers increased the compressive strength (= 67.3 MPa) and reduced the resistivity (= 103 Ωcm) of the composite. The piezoresistivity and stress sensitivity of a composite is influenced by the compressive strength of the composite and the dispersion of steel fiber in the composite. Silica fume contributes directly to strength by forming more calcium silicate hydrates (C–S–H) and indirectly to conductivity by permitting the dispersion of conductive materials. The results revealed that an SSC embedded in the compression zone can accurately depict the deflection of the beam than the SSC embedded in the tensile and combined flexural zones of the beam. The developed SSC can lower its resistivity in the beams with a maximum Pearson correlation coefficient between deflection and resistivity as 0.99. However, in this combined flexure and shear zone (500 mm from the beam center), the composite cannot distinguish between rapid and slow reduction in beam deflection. The research inferred that the SSC has a strong relationship with column deflection (=0.94 approx.) up to the development of cracks in the SSC. Finally, after characterization, strength, resistivity assessments, and application in structural components, the steel fibers are identified and justified as potential materials for developing SSC.

Investigation on RC beams strengthened with hybrid fibre reinforced polymer laminates wrapped at flexure zone

To strengthen the RC elements, FRP laminates play a vital role as external bonding member or agent. To enhance ultimate strength capacity and the ductility Hybrid FRP laminates (Combination of Glass and Carbon fiber) can be widely used. The effectiveness of Hybrid FRP laminates as strengthening material on ductile behaviour of reinforced concrete beams wrapped at the soffit of the beams is studied so as to determine the flexural behaviour of the beam. Three control beams and three beams strengthened with hybrid FRP sheets, totally six under reinforced flexural deficient beams were cast and tested under four point bending test set up to its ultimate failure load. The present study also deals with the effectiveness of the epoxy resin in bonding twin layers of GFRP–CFRP fabric as a strength enhancing material for reinforced concrete beams. From the overall experimental investigation it can be observed that there is an appreciable increase in ultimate load carrying capacity of the beams strengthened with hybrid FRP laminates.

Numerical investigation on flexural behavior of RC beams with large web opening externally strengthened with CFRP laminates under cyclic load: Three-point bending test

In the current paper, the effect of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates on the flexural strength of reinforced concrete beam (RCB) with the web opening in the flexural zone was investigated using a numerical method. The main aim of the current work is to model the reinforced concrete beam strengthen by two shape of CFRP laminates (2layer and U-shape), to observe the influences of CFRP on the flexural strength of the beam. To this end, cyclic loading was applied to investigate the flexural behaviour of the Twelve RC beams under the cyclic loading. All beams kept the same dimensions length, breadth, and depth (2400 × 300 × 200) mm were modeled in the finite elements adopted by ABAQUS software. Steel bars have been used for both flexural strengthening and stirrups. A Three-point bending tests were performed using cyclic loading. Furthermore, the effect of web openings with different sizes (Side length of 40, 60, 75% of the breadth) on the flexural behavior of RC beams was investigated in detail. The flexural strength, local analysis, and ductility of the base beam and CFRP reinforced beam were analyzed. The results of the simulations revealed that the CFRP laminates enhanced the strength of the base beam significantly.

Behavior of CFRP-strengthened RC beams with web openings in shear zones: Numerical simulation

The passing of service ducts and pipes often necessitates web openings in reinforced concrete (RC) beams. The strength and stiffness of the beam are reduced due to such web opening(s). Existing experimental research has shown the possibility of utilizing externally bonded Carbon Fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) to compensate for the strength loss of beams. However, there have been few finite element (FE) methodologies for predicting and estimating the performance of such RC beams. This paper uses nine different FE models to simulate a CFRP strengthened web opening using ABAQUS. This paper evaluates RC beam performance with web openings in the shear zone and proposed reinforcement of CFRP. Nine RC beams with openings, numerical tested under 2-loads. The models were constructed using the ABAQUS software by FE to simulate RC beams with a CFRP strengthened by two rectangular web openings. This paper studies the sequential effect of the different fundamental parameters on the strengthened RC beams' overall stiffness and shear strength response, achieving optimum utilization of the strengthened technique in load-bearing capacity and potential deflection. Results have shown no need to strengthen small web openings in the RC beams' shear zone. Beams with large openings in the shear zone need strengthening with CFRP; the beam's efficiency has been significantly improved using 2-layers of CFRP sheets around the web opening and a single-layer CFRP strip in the flexural zone bottom the chord.

Flexural Behaviour of RC Beams with a Circular Opening at the Flexural Zone and Shear Zone Strengthened Using Steel Plates

In this paper, an investigation on the behaviour of RC beams with circular openings in the flexural zone and shear zone strengthened using steel plates is presented. Totally seven beams were cast: a control beam, one beam with a circular opening of size of one-third the depth of the beam (100 mmϕ) in the flexural zone, one beam with opening strengthened using the steel plate, one beam with a circular opening of size of 100 mmϕ in the shear zone, one beam with an opening in the shear zone strengthened using the steel plate, one beam with two circular openings of size of 100 mmϕ in the shear zone, and another beam with two openings in the shear zone strengthened using the steel plate. The experiments were conducted in a loading frame of 400 kN capacity. The beams were subjected to two-point loading. The ultimate load carrying capacity reduced marginally by 1.78% and 2.8% compared to that of the control beam when a circular opening of 100 mmϕ was provided in the flexural zone and shear zone, respectively, and when the opening was strengthened with steel plates, it reduced by 3.04% and 25%, respectively, but the ductility increased when steel plates were provided. Beams with an opening of size of one-third the depth of the beam (100 mmϕ) in the flexural zone strengthened with the steel plate can be provided, as the load carrying capacity is only marginally reduced compared to the control beam, and the ductility is more when compared with beams with unstrengthened openings.

Performance of concrete beams partially/fully reinforced with glass fiber polymer bars

One of the major advantages of using glass fiber-reinforced polymer bars as a replacement to the traditional steel-reinforced bars is its lightweight and high-resistant to corrosion. This research focuses on the performance of concrete beams partially/fully reinforced with glass fiber-reinforced polymer bars with 50% of GFRP bars were used to reinforce partially concrete beams at flexural zone. While 100% of GFRP bars were used to reinforce fully concrete beams at flexural and compression zones with different concrete compressive strength.This study reported the test results of 6 reinforced concrete beams with dimensions 150 × 200mm and a 1700-mm clear span length subjected to a four-point loading system. The tested beams were divided into three groups; the first one refers to the glass fiber-reinforced polymer bar effect. The second group is referring to the effect of concrete compressive strength, while the third group is referring to the effect of the GFRP bar volume ratio.Using longitudinal GFRP bars as a full or partial replacement of longitudinal steel bar reinforcement led to an increase in the failure load capacity and the average crack width, while a decrease in ductility was reported with a lower number of cracks. Increasing the concrete compressive strength is more compatible with GFRP bar reinforcement and enhanced the failure performance of beams compared with normal compressive strength concrete.

Study on Flexural Behaviour of Reinforced Concrete Beam With Effective Openings

Reinforced Concrete (RC) beams are essential structural elements that transfer loads from the slabs to the columns through flexure and shear. Openings in Reinforced Concrete (RC) beams are required for a variety of architectural and mechanical reasons. The purpose of this article is to investigate the flexural behaviour of an RC beam with circular openings running the length of it. The three-dimensional nonlinear finite element method was used to investigate a supported RC beam with circular web openings of varying diameters using ANSYS, a finite element software package. The study’s primary characteristic is the variation in diameter and location of reinforcement around the openings. Five RC beams with simple supports were constructed, and tested were conducted under two-point loads. Beams were constructed with one conventional specimen without any openings in beams and two beams with unstrengthen circular openings located in the flexure zone with varying diameters such as 80mm and 100mm considered as a control beam. In contrast, the remaining two beams provided effective diagonal reinforcement around the openings. The load-bearing capacity and load-deflection behaviour of such openings in beams were studied and analysed in detail. To increase the ultimate strength of the beam, effective diagonal reinforcement and short stirrups at the top and bottom of openings are used to prevent the beam from collapsing prematurely.

Simulation of shear behavior of corroded reinforced concrete beams flexurally repaired with steel fiber-reinforced concrete

The finite element (FE) method is a common and convenient tool for simulating the behaviors of reinforced concrete (RC) beams. However, the applicability of the FE method for simulating the structural responses of degraded RC beams repaired with steel fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC) remains unclear. In this study, RC beams subjected to corrosion and repaired with SFRC were carefully studied, based on experimental investigations and FE modeling. Eight RC beams were initially subjected to a corrosion process before being repaired by SFRC in the flexural zone (tension region). The repaired beams were then subjected to four-point bending tests and numerical simulations to investigate their structural performances. The behaviors of the shear carrying capacity, load–deflection relationship, reinforcement strain, cracking and deformation mechanisms, and steel–SFRC/steel–concrete bond profiles were experimentally investigated and validated the predictive performances in the simulations. The results from the analyses demonstrated that the beams subjected to a high corrosion degree and repaired by SFRC with 2% of steel fiber volume resisted the largest crack openings. The failure of the SFRC-repaired beams tended to convert a brittle shear failure to a ductile failure through the yielding of the tensile reinforcement. An increase in the degree of corrosion reduced the bond efficiency between the corroded steel and SFRC. Furthermore, the effects of the SFRC stress–strain models on the performances of the SFRC-repaired members were investigated based on a parametric study. It was found that the efficiency of the FE simulation depends substantially on the characteristics of the material constitutive models and shear crack transfer coefficients. Finally, effective SFRC stress–strain models were suggested for simulating the responses of SFRC-repaired beams in ANSYS software.

Reinforcement schemes for cold-formed steel joists with a large web opening in the flexural zone: an experimental investigation

The objective of this investigation was to develop an economical and an efficient reinforcement scheme for large web openings in cold-formed steel (CFS) joists in flexural zones that would restore the original moment resistance of the section. This investigation considered commonly used floor joists in North American CFS construction. Tests on joists webs with no openings and with large circular and square openings located at the mid-depth revealed that large openings can reduce the flexural strength by 23%. A reinforcement scheme was established consisting of the screw fastening of bridging channels [38.1 mm × 12.7 mm (1.5″ × 0.5″)] with the same thickness as the receiving joist, along the compression and the tensile edges of the opening, using a screw spacing of 31.75 mm. Three identical tests utilizing the proposed reinforcement scheme restored the corresponding flexural strengths of the CFS section under consideration, and the failure locations were outside the reinforced opening regions.