Abstract
This study is to investigate experimentally the shear capacity of high-strength lightweight-aggregate reinforced concrete beams subjected to monotonic loading. Ten beams made of fly-ash artificial lightweight high-strength concrete were tested to determine their diagonal cracking and ultimate shear capacities. The variables in the test program were longitudinal reinforcement ratio; which variabled (between 0.83 and 1.66 percent), shear span-to-depth ratio (a/d=1.5, 2.5 and 3.5), and web reinforcement(0, 0.137, 0.275 and 0.554 percent). Six of the test beams had no web reinforcement and the other six had web reinforcement along the entire length of the beam. Most of beams failed brittly by distinct diagonal shear crack, and have reserved shear strength due to the lack of additional resisting effect by aggregate interlocking action after diagonal cracking. Test results indicate that the ACI Building Code predictions of Eq. (11-3) and (11-5) for lightweight concretes are unconservative for beams with tensile steel ratio of 1.66, a/d ratios greater than 2.5 without web reinforcement. Through a more rational approach to compute the contribution of concrete to the shear capacity, a postcracking shear strength in concrete is observed.
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