Title:
Behavior of Low-Carbon Fabric-Formed Reinforced Concrete Beams with Varying Shapes
Author(s):
Jared Mason, Neil A. Hoult, Joshua E. Woods, Evan C. Bentz, Cody Somers, and John Orr
Publication:
Structural Journal
Volume:
122
Issue:
5
Appears on pages(s):
153-163
Keywords:
digital image correlation (DIC); distributed fiber-optic sensing (DFOS); fabric formwork; low-carbon concrete; shape modification
DOI:
10.14359/51746818
Date:
9/1/2025
Abstract:
In this study, fabric formwork is used to cast I-shaped and non-prismatic tapered reinforced concrete (RC) beams that have up to a 40% reduction in concrete volume, resulting in lower embodied CO2 than a rectangular prismatic beam. The primary aim of this research is to use distributed sensing to characterize the behavior of these shape-modified beams to an extent that was not previously possible and compare their behavior to that of a conventional rectilinear beam. Four RC beams (a rectangular control and three fabric-formed sections) were tested in three-point bending. Distributed fiber-optic strain sensors were used to measure strains along the full length of the longitudinal reinforcement, and digital image correlation (DIC) was used to acquire crack patterns and widths. The results indicate that fabric-formed RC beams can achieve the same load-carrying capacity as conventional rectilinear prismatic beams and meet serviceability requirements in terms of crack widths and deflections. The longitudinal reinforcement strains along the full length of the specimens were captured by Canadian concrete design equations, which account for the effects of both flexure and shear on reinforcement demand.
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