The research presented here is a study to determine the effect of shear reinforcement corrosion on the shear capacity in conventionally reinforced concrete (CRC) bridge elements. A total of 14 CRC beams were tested using three stirrup spacings (8, 10, and 12-inch). Six of the beams included the influence of a 4-inch thick deck, and both positive and negative moment regions were considered. The CRC beams were subjected to an accelerated corrosion process to produce the damage states. Inspection techniques were used to visually correlate corrosion damage with actual structural performance. Severe corrosion damage was shown to have significant effect on the shear performance of the CRC beams. Findings indicate that current inspection ratings for corrosion damage may not adequately identify the extent of structural deterioration. / Graduation date: 2003

No description available.

The following thesis presents the results of six full scale beams tests as part of a research program conducted at McGill University on the effect of steel fibres on the shear capacity of a beam with an aid ratio greater than 2.5. The test specimens had the following dimensions: 4400 mm long, 300 mm wide and 500 mm long. The beams had 4-25M bottom reinforcing bars and 2-20M top reinforcing bars. Two series were designed with different reinforcing details: the "BA" series contained transverse reinforcement spaced at 275 mm center to center while the "BB" series had no transverse reinforcement. The specimens were cast in three batches of two specimens from each series, with each batch containing concrete with respectively 0%, 0.5% and 1% fibres content by volume. The beams were simply supported and were tested with two equal point loads located at 500 mm from the centre of the beam. / This research project demonstrated a clear improvement of the shear capacity resulting from the use of steel fibres for the beams without transverse reinforcement. For the beams with transverse reinforcement, displacement ductility was highly increased. This suggests that fibres have the potential to reduce the congestion of the reinforcement if fibres are designed to replace partially closely spaced transverse reinforcement. Also, it was noted that a redistribution of stresses occurred resulting in the formation of more well-controlled cracks. Finally, the strength predictions using the method developed by Aoude (Aoude, 2007) agree very well with the experimental results.

Few decades ago, there were no guidelines for torsion design of reinforced concrete (RC) beams. Hence, many existing beams in older buildings have a lack of adequate torsional strength since they were not properly designed for torsion. One way to regain/rehabilitate adequate torsional strength is through application of externally bonded carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP). To date, American Concrete Institute (ACI) code, as well as other building codes, do not have recommendations or provisions for strengthening RC beams for torsion using fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites due to the inexistence of conclusive experimental and analytical data. Of the very limited works on this behavior, the majority of the focus has been devoted to experimental works. Realistic spandrel beams in a building that lack torsional strength were modelled in this research, and strengthened to examine various behaviors such as load capacity, deflection, torque, twist, crack propagation, ductility, and failure modes. For this purpose, six RC beams were tested: four reference beams and two strengthened beams were used to observe additional capacity through the use of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets. To strengthen the beams, one layer of sheets was completely wrapped around them. Results show an additional torsional capacity of 63% and 178% relative to their respective reference beams. Through strengthening, modes of failure of the beams changed from brittle torsion-dominated failure to shear-flexure failure in both beams. The study also included crack pattern and ductility of test beams. Cracks became smaller in width and more evenly distributed across the torsion-loaded area, and torsional ductility was enhanced by 266% and 165% respectively. Flexural ductility was also greatly enhanced by more than five folds. Finally, using ACI 318-14, ACI 440.2R-02, and available formulae in the literature, the beams were analyzed and the respective values were compared.

No description available.

Submitted in fulfillment for the Master of Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering and Surveying, Durban University of Technology. Durban. South Africa, 2015. / Beam and block slab systems have become a preferred suspended flooring technology in South Africa. Their structural efficiency and relatively low cost makes them suitable for low to medium cost developments. Like all other structural components, they are required to demonstrate sound structural integrity. Concerns were raised by some manufacturers and users in Durban (South Africa) about (a) the lack of basic technical information which makes it difficult to identify methods of improving efficiency and effectiveness of these flooring systems in general, (b) the efficiency and effectiveness of concrete masonry rebated filler blocks - with respect to the load carrying capacity and protecting the structural topping from fire, (c) what constitutes acceptable quality of a deliberately roughened precast concrete surface, (d) interfacial tensile bond strength of special connections and (e) an alternative rib that can span 5 metres without temporary props. These issues were investigated by the student. Thus, this project aimed at improving the structural efficiency and effectiveness in designing, manufacturing and constructing beam and block slab systems was undertaken in Durban, South Africa, between 2012 and 2013. Pilot studies (involving questionnaires), interviews with manufacturers, site visits, and testing of non-structural and structural components were also undertaken. The first aim (in order to address concern (a)) was to provide users of beam and block slab systems with basic technical information about the possible ways to improve efficiency and effectiveness in the design, manufacturing and construction of beam and block slab systems by undertaking an exploratory (pilot) study to better understand users of these systems concerns. The second aim (to address concern (b)) was to investigate, by conducting a series of strength to weight ratio tests, how efficient or inefficient these filler blocks are, examine the structural integrity with respect to the integrity of the manufacturing methodologies and the product thereof, and formulate a method to quantify the fire-resistivity of concrete masonry rebated filler blocks to the structural topping with respect to confining fire. The third aim (to address concern (c)) was to determine what constituted acceptable quality of a deliberately roughened precast concrete surface through a literature review and by conducting a survey to learn about the construction methodologies used by manufacturers. Site visits were undertaken to validate information given by the contractors. The fourth aim (to address concern (d)) was to determine interfacial tensile bond strength through physical testing of deliberately roughened concrete ribs which are sometimes used in special connections. The fifth aim (to address the last concern (e)) was to make an assessment by undertaking a basic comparison study between one local beam and block slab system that uses a shallow rectangular precast pretensioned rib to beam and block slab systems used in the United Kingdom and propose an ideal section (precast pretensioned rib) that spans up to 5 metres without temporary props. With respect to the first aim, it was found that the lack of technical knowledge, including access to critical information about the design philosophy, manufacturing and construction standards of these flooring systems leads to reluctance in selecting them. The outcome of the second aim is that all concrete masonry rebated filler blocks tested were found to be effective because they supported more than the required construction load but some were shown to be inefficient as more materials, such as binders, are wasted in producing over-strength filler blocks and also, undertaking trial mix designs and the testing of samples prior to batch production will reduce costs. A method is formulated in the thesis that could also show that concrete masonry rebated filler blocks provide significant protection to the structural topping thereby preventing fire progression. With respect to the third aim, although a broom or brush is effective in providing a surface roughness (Rz) of 3 mm, it is not always efficient when considering factors like the variation in uniformity, appearance of laitance and roughening frequency, which are not addressed by the South African codes. The outcome of the fourth aim is that connections should be designed such that they do not rely purely on the tensile bond strength but through reinforcing bars (or ties) taking the full tension load causing delamination. With respect to the fifth aim, a basic comparison study indicates that T-section beams are more efficient than common rectangular ribs (±150 mm wide x ±60 mm deep) since they can eliminate completely the use of temporary props for spans of up to 4.51 m. Consequently, further research is underway to design an inverted T-section rib by using high strength precast pretensioned concrete that can span up to 5 m without using temporary props.

No description available.

Ductility is a measure of the ability of a material, section, structural element or structural system to sustain deformations prior to collapse without substantial loss of resistance. The Australian design standard, AS 3600, imposes minimum ductility requirements on structural concrete members to try to prevent premature non-ductile failure and hence to ensure adequate strength and ductile-type collapse with large deflections. The requirements also enable members to resist imposed deformation due to differential settlement, time effects on the concrete and temperature effects, whilst ensuring sufficient carrying capacity and a safe design. Current AS 3600 requirements allow a limited increase or reduction in elastically determined bending moments in critical regions of indeterminate beams, accommodating their ability to redistribute moment from highly stressed regions to other parts of the beam. Design moment redistribution limits and ductility requirements in AS 3600 for bonded partially prestressed beams are a simple extension of the requirements for reinforced members. The possibility of premature non-ductile failure occurring by fracture of the reinforcement or prestressing steel in partially prestressed members has not adequately addressed. The aim of this research is to investigate the overload behaviour and deformation capacity of bonded post-tensioned beams. The current ductility requirements and design moment redistribution limits according to AS 3600 are tested to ensure designs are both safe and economical. A local flexural deformation model based on the discrete cracked block approach is developed to predict the deformation capacity of high moment regions. The model predicts behaviour from an initial uncracked state through progressive crack development into yielding and collapse. Local deformations are considered in the model using non-linear material laws and local slip behaviour between steel and concrete interfaces, with rigorous definition of compatibility in the compression and tension zones. The model overcomes limitations of past discrete cracked block models by ensuring compatibility of deformation, rather than strain compatibility. This improvement allows the modeling of members with multiple layers of tensile reinforcement and variable depth prestressing tendons having separate material and bond properties. An analysis method for simple and indeterminate reinforced and partially prestressed members was developed, based on the proposed deformation model. To account for the effect of shear in regions of high moment and shear present over the interior supports of a continuous beam, a modification to the treatment of local steel deformation in the flexural model, based on the truss analogy, was undertaken. Secondary reactions and moments due to prestress and continuity are also accounted for in the analysis. A comparison of past beam test data and predictions by the analysis shows the cracking pattern and deformation capacity at ultimate of flexural regions in reinforced and partially prestressed members to be predicted with high accuracy. The analysis method accurately predicts local steel behaviour over a cracked region and deformation capacity for a wide range of beams which fail either by fracture of steel or crushing of the concrete. A parametric study is used to investigate the influence of different parameters on the deformation capacity of a typical negative moment region in a continuous beam. The structural system consists of a bonded post-tensioned, partially prestressed band beam. The primary parameters investigated are the member height and span-to-depth ratio; relative quantity of reinforcing and prestressing steel; material properties and bond capacity of the steels; and lastly the compression zone properties. Results show that the effects of the various parameters on the overload behaviour of partially prestressed beams follow the same trends as reinforced beams. A new insight into the local steel behaviour between cracks is attained. The deformation behaviour displays different trends for parametric variations of the local bond capacity, bar diameter and crack spacing, when compared to past analytical predictions from comparable studies. The discrepancy in findings is traced back to the definition of the plastic rotation capacity and the sequencing of the yielding of the steels. Compared to the other local deformation models, the current model does not assume a linear distribution of strain at a crack. The current findings highlight an important difference between predicted behaviours from different deformation compatibility requirements in local deformation models which has not yet been discussed in the literature. The local deformation model evaluates the relationship between maximum steel strain at a crack and average steel deformation over a crack spacing for the entire loading history. The total steel percentage, hardening properties of the steel and concrete strength are shown by the model to have the greatest effect on these steel strain localisation factors. Section analysis, as currently used in design, can be improved with the proposed simplification of the relationships to identify and quantify the effects of steel fracture on deformation capacity and strength. The numerical effort required to simulate the overload behaviour of practical beam designs with multiple reinforcement elements and a prestressing tendon are currently too great to be used in an extensive numerical study. The numerically more efficient smeared block approach is shown to accurately predict the ultimate carrying capacity of prestressed beams failing by crushing of the concrete. Consequently, this method is adopted to study the allowable limits of moment redistribution in the present investigation, Simplified relationships of the steel strain localisation factors evaluated in the parametric study of deformation capacity is used to predict maximum steel strains and premature failure. The limits of moment redistribution in bonded, post-tensioned partially prestressed band beams are explored by comparing the design load and predicted carrying capacity, for different section ductilities and design moment redistribution. In addition, the effects of different concrete strengths, up to 85 MPa, along with as three reinforcing and prestressing steel ductilities are quantified and compared to current Australian and international design requirements. Limitations in the carrying capacity are investigated for different reinforcement and prestress uniform elongation capacities. More than one thousand beam simulations produce results showing that current design moment redistribution and ductility requirements in the Australian design code for concrete structures (AS 3600) are sufficient for normal strength concretes (less than 50 MPa). A suggestion for design moment redistribution limits, section ductility requirements and steel ductility limits is made for members constructed from higher strength concretes. A special high steel ductility class is proposed for both the reinforcement and prestressing steel to allow moment redistribution in higher strength concrete. No moment redistribution is proposed for members reinforced with low ductility (Class L) steel. An increase of the current elongation limit of Class L steel from 1.5 % to 2.5% is suggested to ensure strength and safety. An increase in the current ductility requirements from fsu/ fsy=1.03 and elongation equal to 1.5% to fsu/fsy=1.05 and 2.5% elongation for low ductility Class L steel is suggested to ensure strength and safety. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2004.

No description available.

Bibliography: leaves 140-144. / xix, 156 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Determines the effect of partial-interaction and interfacial friction on the fatigue behaviour of composite bridge beams and develops a set of design rules for the assessment of the residual strength and performance of composite bridge beams. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 1999