International Concrete Abstracts Portal

The authors had tested eight square reinforced concrete columns subjected to combined flexure and constant axial loads of 0.254 to 0.629 f'?c A?g, and the test results were reported in a previous paper. This study is a continuation of that previous study. The objective of this study is to evaluate the ductility enhancement of high-strength concrete columns achieved by effectively confining the core concrete using transverse reinforcement with high yield strength. Four test columns were constructed using concrete with compressive strength of 130 MPa, transverse reinforcement with yield strength of 408 or 873 MPa, and ordinary longitudinal reinforcement. Those columns tested under reversed cyclic lateral loads with constant axial compressive load levels of 0.343 or 0.473. Test results indicated that even for such high-strength concrete columns adequate ductility was secured by using high-strength transverse reinforcement. Based on the test results, the stress-strain model on confined concrete previously proposed by the authors was modified to be applicable not only to ordinary strength concrete but also to high-strength concrete

SP128 Leading world experts met in Hong Kong to participate in The ACI conference on Evaluation and Rehabilitation of Concrete Structures and Innovations and Design. The specific purpose of the Conference was to disseminate technical information on emerging concrete technology in the Pacific rim region. You can review the results of that timely event in a two volume document comprised of 90 technical papers. Volume I contains paper dealing with materials. Topics include: high elastic surface coatings, concrete deterioration on high chloride and sulfate environment, nondestructive testing, impact-echo technique, fiber reinforcement, injectable cementitious materials, and case studies. Volume II is comprised of papers pertaining to design aspects. Topics include: concrete for offshore structures, performance of structural repairs, design of high-strength and reinforced concrete structures, design of beams and columns, and case studies.order.

An intense fire in the antioxidant plant of a chemical factory near Bombay caused extensive damage to the reinforced concrete frame of the building as well as to the flooring, equipment, fixtures, and fittings. Consultants were appointed to investigate the damaged structure and later to design and supervise the rehabilitation work. After the preliminary investigation, the consultants decided that it was not necessary to demolish the structure, as long as it was possible to restore the structural members at a reasonable cost and within a short time span. In addition to visual inspection and sounding, extensive nondestructive tests were conducted to determine the extent of damage and the residual strength of the important load-carrying members of the structures. The findings of the investigations were analyzed and the restoration system was designed by the consultants. The paper outlines the considerations that led to restoration of the structure in preference to demolition, the details of investigations, the analysis of the findings, and the successful rehabilitation techniques that followed.

The crest of Kakabeka Falls, a major tourist attraction near Thunder Bay, Ontario, had changed rapidly within 15 years. Geotechnical evaluation had concluded that, due to the geometry of the rock formation, there was little continuous cap-rock beyond the crest of the falls. Undercutting by water and subsequent ice jacking and freeze-thaw action was eroding the remaining cap-rock. Without prompt remedial work, the falls would degenerate to rapids over 50 years. Rapid recession of the falls also threatened the foundations of two bridges. In 1988 and 1989, remedial works were undertaken to stabilize the erosion process and improve the appearance of the falls. Concrete mixes were designed using powdered color dyes to duplicate the color and appearance of the reddish brown cap-rock and black hales. The crest of the falls was reconstructed incorporating a weir which spread the water flow evenly across the width of the falls. Special formwork and hand-finishing techniques were used to texture the concrete surface to match the existing rock. Two years in planning and eight weeks in construction, the project successfully restored the falls to its former beauty.

Case histories are presented to illustrate applications of nondestructive evaluation (NDE) methods that use stress waves to characterize the conditions of concrete construction. The case histories discuss the following NDE methods and applications: (1) impact echo to evaluate cracking in a 1923 thin-arch concrete dam on the downstream face; (2) ultrasonic pulse velocity to define the severity of cracking damage in precast bridge segments and for quality assurance of epoxy injection repairs; and (3) ultrasonic crosshole sonic logging with PC-based instrumentation for quality assurance of the integrity of concrete placement in drilled shaft and slurry wall foundations. Comparisons of NDE results defined the extent and nature of sound and defective concrete conditions.