International Concrete Abstracts Portal

An experimental investigation was conducted to examine the behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) beams subjected to service loads coupled with corrosion of the main flexural reinforcement. A total of nine beams with dimensions of 145 x 250 x 1800 mm (5.71 x 9.84 x 70.87 in.) were constructed. The main test variables were corrosion current density and level of service loading. The beams were loaded under a four-point bending test to either 60, 40, or 0% of the beam's ultimate capacity. Applied loads and reinforcement corrosion were sustained until the beams failed. Test results indicate that the failure of corroded RC beams becomes brittle, resulting in premature rupture of corroded steel bars. This behavior is attributed to the development of localized corrosion at sections with flexural cracks in beams. Furthermore, it was found that beams subjected to higher levels of service loading experienced further reductions in ultimate load capacity and ductility.

The influence of axial compression is not incorporated into the design provisions for concrete breakout or pryout strength of anchors under shear. This study experimentally evaluated the shear capacities of anchors subjected to axial compression on a base plate using ten large-scale specimens. The test variables included axial compression N, edge distances from the anchor shaft in the direction of applied shear, edge distances perpendicular to the applied shear, and the compressive strength of concrete. The results showed little difference in crack initiation and propagation with varying axial compression. However, axial compression significantly improved the concrete breakout strength of anchors in shear. The applied axial compression reached up to 2.5 times the mean concrete breakout strength V_cbgo, as determined by the Concrete Capacity Design (CCD) method, and the average increase in shear strength was approximately 0.6 times the applied compression. In addition, axial compression suppressed concrete pryout failure by preventing the uplift of base plates. Based on the lowest N/V_cbgo ratio used in the tests, if axial compression of at least 0.5V_cbgo is applied to a base plate, pryout failure need not be considered.

In high-rise buildings, lower-story columns must withstand significant seismic shear forces while maintaining sufficient deformation capacity. This capacity is provided through effective confinement using transverse reinforcement. The ACI 318-25 building code specifies that confining reinforcement should be proportional to the applied axial load when the axial load exceeds 0.3A_gf'c and requires all longitudinal bars to be laterally supported with seismic hooks. However, the implementation of seismic hooks at both ends of crossties brings challenges for on-site reinforcement assembly.

This study experimentally investigates full-scale RC column specimens subjected to quasi-static cyclic loading while under a constant high axial load. The objectives are to validate the ACI 318-25 confinement requirements and to evaluate the feasibility of relaxing seismic hook requirements. The results confirm that columns designed in accordance with the ACI 318-25 building code satisfy the required 3% deformation capacity. Furthermore, satisfactory seismic performance can be achieved with crossties incorporating alternating 135-degree and 90-degree hooks, although at the expense of increased confining reinforcement.

For the assessment of existing reinforced concrete slab bridges, the shear capacity under concentrated loads and transition to flexural failure are under discussion. Previous research showed an increased shear capacity for slabs under concentrated loads close to the support, so that for assessment, positions farther from the support became governing. This experimental research studies the flexural and shear capacity of reinforced concrete slabs under concentrated loads. For this purpose, six slabs representing 1:2 scale continuous slab bridges were tested at various positions from the support and along the width. The results show two main failure modes: flexural failure (onset of yielding of the reinforcement), and shear failure. Secondary punching was observed as well. The comparison between the test results and calculations methods shows that all considered methods perform reasonably well when both shear and flexure are considered, and the effective width in shear is included, with average tested-to-predicted capacities between 0.92 (Regan’s method) and 1.39 (Extended Strip Model) and coefficients of variation between 15% (Regan’s method) and 25% (ACI 318-19 and Eurocode 2). These insights can be used for the assessment of existing reinforced concrete slab bridges.

Research presented in this paper is part of a program investigating the durability of fiber-reinforced polymer reinforcement after exposure to a marine environment or elevated temperatures. This paper presents the results of an experimental study on the tensile behavior of basalt fiber-reinforced polymer (BFRP) bars after exposure to elevated temperatures under different heating protocols. Under the steady-state heating protocol, specimens were exposed to elevated temperatures up to 250°C (482°F) first and then subjected to monotonically increasing load until failure. In other testing protocols, specimens were exposed to a specific sustained stress level first, keeping deformation or load constant, and then heated until failure. Under these conditions, specimen stress levels varied from 39 to 91%. Results showed that different testing protocols yielded different results, and the criticality shifted between protocols depending on the stress level. Lastly, a direct comparison is made between BFRP and glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars tested under identical conditions. The direct comparison showed that thermal degradation of BFRP at higher stress levels was comparable with that of GFRP bars, whereas GFRP bars exhibited superior performance at lower stress levels.