RC Beams Research Articles

Flexural reliability of corroded RC beams strengthened with CFRP sheets considering longitudinal corrosion non-uniformity of steel bars

The corrosion of steel bars in RC beams along the longitudinal direction is usually non-uniform, thereby increasing the variabilities of failure mode and flexural behavior of corroded RC beams strengthened by CFRP sheets. This paper analyzed the flexural reliabilities of CFRP sheet-strengthened corroded RC beams, which considered the corrosion non-uniformities of longitudinal steel bars along the beam length. Based on the failure mode-based calculation method and Monte-Carlo simulation, the beams were discretized into a series of units along the beam length and the failure probabilities of the beams were considered as the failure probabilities of the serial units. Meanwhile, the occurrence probabilities of failure modes at bending failure were also studied. Parametric analysis results showed that the occurrence probabilities of failure modes were affected by steel reinforcement corrosion degrees, CFRP strengthening ratios and initial strains at concrete tensile edge. Meanwhile, the longitudinal corrosion non-uniformity could significantly affect the occurrence probabilities of different failure modes and degrade the flexural reliabilities; e.g., for RC beams under third-point bending, when the corrosion degree is 0.3, the predicted reliability index with considering longitudinal corrosion non-uniformity can be 28.3% lower than that without. The proposed reliability calculation method could accurately assess the impacts of longitudinal corrosion non-uniformity on flexural reliabilities and lay a solid foundation for calibrating design factors used in CFRP sheet-based strengthening designs, thereby contributing to both evaluating the safety of existing CFRP sheet-strengthened corroded RC beams and designing the strengthening CFRP sheets for existing corroded RC beams, which improve the safety and maintenance of existing RC structures in corrosive environments.

Response of Overhanging RC Beams Strengthened with Various Schemes of Externally Bonded CFRP Strips

Response of Overhanging RC Beams Strengthened with Various Schemes of Externally Bonded CFRP Strips

Shear Strength of RC Beams without and with Stirrups: Analytical Expressions and Comparison with Experimental Data

Shear Strength of RC Beams without and with Stirrups: Analytical Expressions and Comparison with Experimental Data

A model for predicting flexural capacity of PVC‐CFRP tube confined reinforced concrete beams

AbstractThis paper presents an experimental study on 18 specimens, including 15 polyvinyl chloride (PVC)‐carbon fiber‐reinforced polymer (CFRP) tube confined reinforced concrete beams with longitudinal CFRP sheets (PCT‐RCBs‐LCS) and 3 PVC‐CFRP tube confined reinforced concrete beams (PCT‐RCBs). The effects of five studied parameters, such as longitudinal reinforcement rate (), concrete strength grade (), width () and number () of longitudinal CFRP sheet, and specimen dimensions (), on the failure mode and flexural capacity are investigated. The PCT‐RCBs‐LCS with lower and fail by the breakage of the PVC tube and the fracture of longitudinal CFRP sheets. Conversely, the cracking of PVC tube dominates the damage of the PCT‐RCBs‐LCS with higher and , while the longitudinal CFRP sheets are not broken. The introduction of longitudinal CFRP sheets can significantly improve the flexural capacity. The ultimate flexural capacity of the PCT‐RCBs‐LCS increases as the , , , or increases. In addition. considering the influence of RC beam section shape, a model for predicting the ultimate flexural capacity of the PCT‐RCBs‐LCS is proposed based on the limit equilibrium theory and cross‐sectional strain relationship. The predicted results of the proposed model agree well with test data.

Ductility and cracking behavior of UHPC-RC composite beam under bending test based on acoustic emission parameters

Ultrahigh-performance concrete (UHPC) possesses improved mechanical properties due to its high strength, durability, and toughness. Currently, there is a single method for detecting the cracking behavior and evaluating the ductility of the UHPC-reinforced concrete (RC) composite beam. As an important part of structural non-destructive monitoring techniques, the acoustic emission (AE) technique can be used to analyze the damage pattern of the structure by the variation characteristics of its individual parameters. On this basis, four-point bending tests were carried out on the RC beam and UHPC-RC composite beam, and the AE technique was used for ductility analysis and cracking behavior monitoring. The results showed that the UHPC material enhanced the flexural capacity of the UHPC-RC composite beam. The AE ring counts and energy parameters could be used to analyze the cracking process of the UHPC-RC composite beam during flexural damage. The proposed new ductility indices, AE ring counts ductility index (ARD) and AE energy ductility index (AED), differed from the displacement ductility indices within the range of 2 %, providing a new method for calculating ductility indices of concrete structures. During the failure stage, the UHPC-RC composite beam produced more tensile cracks at the early stage of cracking and the stage of damage compared to the RC beam. In addition, the b value of the RC beam had a large range of fluctuations during the failure stage, indicating that the RC beam produced more micro-cracks and macro-cracks and more damage compared to the UHPC-RC composite beam.

Analysing Flexural Response in RC Beams: A Closed-Form Solution Designer Perspective from Detailed to Simplified Modelling

This paper presents a detailed analytical approach for the bending analysis of reinforced concrete beams, integrating both structural mechanics principles and Eurocode 2 provisions. The general analytical expressions derived for the curvature were applied for the transverse displacement analysis of a simply supported reinforced concrete beam under four-point loading, focusing on key limit states: the initiation of cracking, the yielding of tensile reinforcement and the compressive failure of concrete. The displacement’s results were validated through experimental testing, showing a high degree of accuracy in the elastic and crack propagation phases. Deviations in the yielding phase were attributed to the conservative material assumptions within the Eurocode 2 framework, though the analytical model remained reliable overall. To streamline the computational process for more complex structures, a simplified model utilising a non-linear rotational spring was further developed. This model effectively captures the influence of cracking with significantly reduced computational effort, making it suitable for serviceability limit state analyses in complex loading scenarios, such as seismic impacts. The results demonstrate that combining detailed analytical methods with this simplified model provides an efficient and practical solution for the analysis of reinforced concrete beams, balancing precision with computational efficiency.

Ductility assessment of GFRP reinforced concrete beams with a wedge-based mechanical model accounting for discrete fibers and confinement

Glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars for internal reinforcement for concrete have gained attention due to their non-corrosive properties, high resistance, and electromagnetic transparency. On the other hand, the brittle behavior and low modulus of elasticity of FRP bars limit their application and diffusion in the civil construction market. From this perspective, this work investigates the influence of three components on the increase of ductility of GFRP beams: i) discrete alkali-resistant glass fibers added to the concrete; ii) confinement of the concrete with GFRP stirrups; and iii) use of longitudinal reinforcement on the compression zone. An experimental program including four over-reinforced beams with different reinforcement configurations was conducted. The beams were tested in four-point bending configuration and the use of fibers, stirrups and compression reinforcement contributed to substantially increasing the beam ductility index. Finally, a concrete wedge model was developed to obtain equivalent stress-strain relationships for the concrete in compression. The model was successfully validated against experiments and proved to be a useful tool for rationally evaluating GFRP RC beams’ ductility.

Negative bending behavior of prestressed hollow core slab with cast-in-place RC layer in the RC beam-slab joint area

To study the negative bending behavior of the prestressed hollow core slab (HCS) with cast-in-place (CIP) RC layer (HCSPR) in the beam-slab joint area, eight full-scale tests were conducted, covering the following parameters: support length (S), longitudinal reinforcement ratio (ρr), HCS height (h1), and CIP concrete layer height (h2). The mechanical properties of specimens were evaluated including load-deflection relationship, cracking behavior, and strain development. Two distinct failure modes of flexure and shear were observed. An extensive parametric study was also conducted to study the effects of h2, h1, prestressing degree, ρr, and span on negative bending performance. The results from the tests and parametric study indicate that h1, ρr, and h2 significantly affect the failure modes, bearing capacity, and ductility. To ensure robustness, S values no less than 30 mm are recommended for the connection between HCS and RC beam. Moreover, to avoid shear failure of HCS with CIP RC layer (HCSPR) in the joint area under negative moment, the shear span-to-depth ratio [L0/(h1 +h2)] should be restricted to be larger than 4. Lastly, both flexural and shear capacity formulas based on GB50010, EN1168, and ACI318 were compared. The calculated results were compared with the test and parametric analysis results. This research is of great significance for the application of simplified RC beam-HCS connection.

The confinement effect of basalt fibers for reinforced geopolymer composites: Flexural, shear and torsion capability for ductility and failure

Geopolymer concrete is a promising candidate to replace conventional concrete (CC), as geopolymer concrete is based on alkali-activated binders instead of Portland cement. The elimination of cement in the mix leads to a reduction in the release of greenhouse gases. It is known from the literature that the microscale properties of geopolymer concrete are similar to those of its counterparts. However, the structural performance of geopolymer elements should be investigated in detail. Therefore, in this study, the effect of basalt fiber ratio (%0 and %1), geopolymer mix type and stirrup (with and without stirrup) on flexural (four-point test), shear (overhanging test) and torsional (pure torsion test) behavior of RC beam were investigated. In these experiments, slag based geopolymer concrete with waste marble, geopolymer concrete with fly ash and geopolymer concrete with quartz powder were used in order to manufactured to the RC beams. The mechanical performances of RC beams were assessed by using load-deflection curves, stiffness, ductility, failure mode and crack propagations. Test results revealed that the use of basalt fiber tolerated the decrease in strength, although the shear, flexural and torsion capacity decreased if stirrups were not used in the beams. The use of fly ash in the mixture was more effective on the strength than other materials in terms of the aluminate and silicate it contained.

Flexural Behavior of an RC Beam Externally Strengthened with a Steel- and CFRP-Based Method

Flexural Behavior of an RC Beam Externally Strengthened with a Steel- and CFRP-Based Method

An experimental study on RC beams externally strengthened by anchored CFRP sheets monitored by Digital Image Correlation

During the past few decades, strengthening and rehabilitation of reinforced concrete (RC) structures using fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites have been considered one of the most promising techniques to achieve the required strengthening and structure life span. This paper analyzes the effects of different anchorage increments using the Externally Bonded Reinforcement (EBR) strengthening technique with CFRP on the mechanical properties and deformability capacity of reinforced concrete beams subjected to bending. Axial compression, ultrasonic pulse velocity, and elastic modulus tests were carried out on cylindrical concrete specimens, and the Digital Image Correlation (DIC) technique was used to monitor the total surface deformation and track the development of cracks in the reinforced concrete beams. Strain Gauges (SGs) were used to monitor the tensile reinforcement, the compressed concrete, and the CFRP strain. Experiments on twelve beams are carried out, and the measured data from the monitoring devices are compared. The accuracy of DIC for strain and displacement monitoring matches the performance of traditional methods, with the added benefit of providing full-field monitoring.

An interpretable machine learning-based model for shear resistance prediction of CFRP-strengthened RC beams using experimental and synthetic dataset

Existing analytical models for predicting the shear resistance of RC beams strengthened with externally bonded CFRP reinforcements exhibit deficient performance due to their inability to accurately capture the complex resisting mechanisms. Combined with significant statistical uncertainties in shear failure, driven by its brittle nature, this further undermines the reliability of these models. To address these limitations, this study leverages Machine Learning (ML) to develop more robust and reliable predictive tool. A rigorous feature-selection process identified eight predictors as the most influential. Subsequently, nine ML-algorithms were trained on a refined experimental dataset comprising 239 beams, with XGBoost emerging as the top performer. This model also outperformed established models likefib Bulletin-90 and ACI 2023 models. However, the limited scope of the experimental dataset constrained the model’s predictive performance especially when separately evaluated on beams strengthened with U-wraps, full wraps or side-bonded FRP configurations. Therefore, to achieve a more reliable model a synthetic dataset was generated using Tabular Variational Auto-Encoder. The XGBoost model trained with the synthetic dataset significantly improved the performance of the former model and exhibited better predictions for all strengthening configurations. Finally, to ensure the physical consistency of predictions, values obtained from the SHapley Additive exPlanations method were analysed.

A deformability-based mechanical model for predicting shear strength of FRP-strengthened RC beams failed in concrete cover separation

Concrete cover separation (CCS) is frequently happened prior to the yielding of steel stirrups in FRP-strengthened RC beams. However, the debonding mechanism and criterion have not been fully understood. In this study, the typical crack types associated with CCS are comprehensively summarized and investigated in terms of profiles and kinematics of crack. The dowel action and dowelling cracks are proved to be the dominant factors causing CCS. Based on the cracking features, the simplified local debonding strength and average shear strength of fracture interface, which constitutes the contribution of concrete to shear capacity of strengthened RC beams, are analytically derived and verified against the available experiments and code provisions. Through regression analysis of 179 collected shear tests, a formulation based on the Critical Shear Crack Theory (CSCT) is presented to assess the deformability of strengthened RC beams governed by CCS. The commonly overlooked actual stress level in steel stirrups is considered as a function of the rotation capacity of beams and assessed based on the Modified Compression Field Theory (MCFT). Validation of this analytical approach, involving comparison against the empirical models and experimental results from 107 specimens, confirms its superior effectiveness and consistency in predicting CCS and shear strength.

Performance of RC Beams reinforced with Steel Fibers under Pure Torsion

Performance of RC Beams reinforced with Steel Fibers under Pure Torsion

Study on Flexural Performance of Reinforced Concrete Beams Strengthened with FRP Grid–PCM Composite Reinforcement

To study the flexural performance of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) grid–polymer cement mortar (PCM)-composite-strengthened RC beams, the finite element numerical simulation of FRP grid–PCM composite RC beams is carried out using ABAQUS to analyze the effects of the amount of FRP grid reinforcement, the type of FRP grid material, and the geometry of FRP grid on the flexural performance of reinforced concrete beams and to establish the flexural capacity calculation formula of FRP grid–PCM-reinforced RC beams in case of debonding failure, based on analysis of the influencing factors. The results show that increasing the reinforcement of the FRP grid and increasing the stiffness of the FRP grid can improve the flexural bearing capacity of RC beams, and the change of FRP grid geometry has little effect on the flexural bearing capacity of RC beams. The established formula for calculating the flexural bearing capacity of FRP grid-reinforced concrete beams can better predict the flexural capacity of reinforced concrete beams under peeling failure.

Experimental and numerical investigation of low‐velocity impact behavior and failure mode of shear deficient RC beam strengthened with CFRP strips

AbstractIt is well‐known that shear failure is a collapse mechanism that is the riskiest, fastest, and catastrophic and occurs with no visible signs of damage or prior warning for RC beams. Therefore, to prevent brittle shear failure, the RC beams should include sufficient shear reinforcement, such as stirrups, and be designed to have sufficient shear capacity. However, the RC beams' shear capacity becomes inadequate for various reasons. One of these reasons may be the acting of the impulsive impact load, which is uncommon and disregarded in the design phase on the RC beams. An experimental program was conducted to examine the impact behavior and failure mode of shear‐deficient RC beams in the scope of the present study. Besides, it aims to investigate the effectiveness of the strengthening method using CFRP strips in improving the general behavior, failure mode, and performance of shear‐deficient RC beams exposed to impact load. The time histories of the accelerations, displacements, impact loads, and strains in the CFRP strips were measured. They were interpreted how they are affected by experimental variables examined in the experimental study. Furthermore, the finite element model of the specimens was generated in the LS‐DYNA software, and the experimental and numerical results were compared by performing finite element analysis in terms of failure modes and general behavior.

Trio/hybrid fiber effect on the geopolymer reinforced concrete for flexural and shear behavior

AbstractGeopolymer concrete (GC) is an innovative and sustainable type of composite resulting from the chemical reaction between waste materials containing and alkaline activators. The researchers have been focused to reduction of the greenhouse‐gas release, especially during the production of cement. Although numerous studies have been conducted on alkali‐activated cement or GC at the material level, there is limited research in the literature on the structural performance of reinforced GC members. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of fiber combination on the shear and flexural performance of RC beams with maximum and minimum reinforcement ratio. To investigate the shear and flexural behavior of GC beam, four‐point and three‐point tests were performed on 12 GC with hybrid fibers, 4 GC with trio fibers, and 2 GC fiber‐free as references beams. The test parameters were the combination of fibers (steel, glass, carbon, and basalt), the longitudinal reinforcement ratio, and loading type. The key test results include the load‐deflection behavior, characteristics of the cracks, the effect of fiber type on the shear and flexural performance, ductility and stiffness properties, microstructure, the strain in the concrete, and the bars and code predictions. The test results showed that as expected, reducing the longitudinal reinforcement ratio decreased the strength, but the decrease in strength was tolerated by using different types of fibers. The use of trio fibers in beams under bending increased the strength capacity, considerably. Finally, the capacity prediction performance of current codes, that is, GB50010, EuroCode‐2, TS500, and ACI318, were also examined, and the calculations resulted that the current code equations had a percentage error of approximately 25% and 82% on average for flexural and shear, respectively, although EuroCode‐2 equations performed slightly better.

Flexural behavior of RC beams strengthened with BFRP bars and CFRP U-jackets: Experimental and numerical analysis

The strengthening of concrete structures is an inevitable requirement throughout their service life. This study proposed a hybrid strengthening method of combining near-surface mounted (NSM) basalt fiber-reinforced polymer (BFRP) bars and carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) end anchors. To verify the proposed method, four-point bending test and corresponding numerical analysis were implemented on four reinforced concrete (RC) beams. One beam was the reference beam, while the other three were strengthened with NSM BFRP bars with or without CFRP end anchors. After validating the numerical model, it was employed to systematically investigate the impact of hybridization strengthening details on the flexural performance of RC beams. The results showed that the bearing capacity of the NSM strengthened specimens increased by more than 64 % compared to the reference beam. The addition of CFRP U-jacket end anchors significantly enhanced beam ductility. Regarding failure mode, the reference beam, BFRP strengthened beam, and the BFRP and CFRP hybrid strengthening beam were controlled by the concrete crushing, concrete cover separation, and concrete cover separation (CCS) along with CFRP-jacket rupture, respectively. Proposed numerical models by considering the effects of interfacial normal stress and shear stress on the debonding behavior of epoxy resin and concrete, which could predict theCCS of the NSM strengthened beam, and results compared between the numerical analysis and experiments verified the accuracy of the model with the errors around 2 %. Further investigations using numerical models demonstrated that the ultimate strain of BFRP bars in the presence of CFRP U-jacket is higher than that without CFRP U-jacket. It confirmed the contribution of CFRP U-jacket to improve the flexural strength of the NSM strengthened beams, while also facilitating the utilization of the tensile strength of the BFRP bars. In summary, both experimental and analytical evaluations confirm the effectiveness of the proposed strengthening technique.

Clustering-Based Active-Learning Kriging Reliability Analysis of FRP-Strengthened RC Beams with Random Finite-Element to Model Spatial Variability

Clustering-Based Active-Learning Kriging Reliability Analysis of FRP-Strengthened RC Beams with Random Finite-Element to Model Spatial Variability

The impact of using prestressed CFRP bars on the development of flexural strength

Abstract The load-carrying capacity and ductility of conventional steel reinforcement may be greatly increased by using ordinary and prestressed carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) bars, resulting in reinforced concrete structures with greater sturdiness. This research investigates the flexural behavior of CFRP-prestressed beams with bonded tendons as opposed to conventional steel-prestressed beams. This article examines a less explored topic that often fails because post-tensioned beams with unbonded CFRP tendons are crushed by concrete. The linear-elastic behavior of CFRP accounts for much of the experimentally observed considerable variations in flexural characteristics between CFRP and steel-prestressed beams. Compared to unbonded CFRP specimens, bonded CFRP specimens are much stronger. Our knowledge of CFRP reinforcement in concrete infrastructure is advanced by this work, which highlights the need for better design techniques to increase strength and ductility. It is recommended that CFRP bars be bonded with epoxy resin to restrict fast energy dissipation and avoid concrete failure. As a result, CFRP-reinforced concrete beams will react less linearly and more ductilely. CFRP may improve prestressed concrete beam performance and lifespan in a number of scenarios, as shown by comparative research with traditional steel reinforcement. Six 1,800–mm-long RC beams with a 200 × 300 mm cross-section were examined and divided into three groups, analyzing important loading phases (i.e., cracked, ultimate, and mid-span deflection) using CFRP bars as prestressed tendons to replace the bottom steel rebars. The load-carrying capabilities and ductility of CFRP-reinforced beams were much greater than those of the reference beam. A single beam using normal CFRP bars for reinforcement showed a 21.2 mm mid-span deflection and an ultimate load of 157.2 kN, with a 57.7-kN fractured load. Another beam with normal CFRP bars also showed enhanced performance, with a mid-span deflection of 21.2 mm, an ultimate load of 160.6 kN, and a cracking load of 57.5 kN.