Title:
Study on the Fracture Characteristics of Reinforced Concrete Small Beam Specimens Under Static and Dynamic Loads (Prepublished)
Author(s):
Yuan Tiejun, He Defu, Wang Kai, Yan Dong
Publication:
Structural Journal
Volume:
Issue:
Appears on pages(s):
Keywords:
deflection; dynamic and static loads; model experiment; reinforced concrete beam
DOI:
10.14359/51751919
Date:
8/14/2026
Abstract:
Concrete, as a typical heterogeneous particulate composite material, leads to complex mechanical properties. The significant differences in mechanical properties between the reinforcement and the incorporated aggregate further exacerbate the complexity of the mechanical performance of reinforced concrete and aggregate concrete. This study investigates the variation in strength characteristics and failure mechanisms of reinforced concrete beams under static and dynamic loads through static three-point bending tests and drop hammer tests. The research findings indicate that: (1) adhering to the principle of similarity in load-bearing capacity during design ensures a comparable load-bearing capacity between the prototype and the model. Following the principle of similarity in deflection during design ensures comparable deformations between the prototype and the model; (2) under static load conditions, as the reinforcement ratio and concrete strength increase, the maximum load-bearing capacity of the beam also increases; however, the deflection decreases correspondingly, demonstrating an inverse relationship between the concrete strength and deflection of the RC beam; and (3) under dynamic load conditions, the maximum residual deflection of the beam is proportional to the impact energy of the hammer. Excessive hammer energy can result in the beam's residual deflection exceeding allowable limits, thus affecting the stability and serviceability of the structure. The slope of this relationship primarily depends on the static bending load-bearing capacity of the beam, and as the load-bearing capacity increases, the corresponding slope decreases.