Title:
Noncontact Lap Splices of Large Hooked Reinforcing Bars
Author(s):
Zachary Coleman
Publication:
Web Session
Volume:
Issue:
Appears on pages(s):
Keywords:
DOI:
Date:
10/23/2022
Abstract:
To accelerate bridge construction and improve economy, transportation authorities may employ noncontact hooked bar lap splices to rapidly connect adjacent precast concrete elements. Compared to straight bars, hooked bars may offer the advantage of shorter lap lengths to transfer tensile forces; however, significant test data are not yet available to justify this hypothesis. Accordingly, the objectives of this research are to examine the behavior of noncontact hooked bar lap splices and create new approaches for the design of such lap splices. In support of these objectives, six large-scale beam specimens containing noncontact hooked bar lap splices and one containing continuous reinforcing bars were tested to failure in four-part-bending. An additional 36 specimens will be tested in the coming years. The influence of the following parameters on splice strength have been studied thus far: concrete compressive strength, lap splice length, spacing of spliced bars, splice confinement, and detailing of confining reinforcement. All splice specimens failed due to the combined effects of prying action and hook side-bulging. Crack patterns at failure indicated that load was transferred between adjacent spliced bars through diagonal compression struts. All else being equal, the use of perpendicular confining reinforcement was found to most effective to increase splice strength.