• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.163-185
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• 2013

The use of post-compressed plates (PCP) to strengthen preloaded reinforced concrete (RC) columns is an innovative approach for alleviating the effects of stress-lagging between the original column and the additional steel plates. Experimental and theoretical studies on PCP-strengthened RC columns have been presented in our companion papers. The results have demonstrated the effectiveness of this technique for improving the strength, deformability and ductility of preloaded RC columns when subjected to axial or eccentric compression loading. An original and comprehensive design procedure is presented in this paper to aid engineers in designing this new type of PCP-strengthened RC column and to ensure proper strengthening details for desirable performance. The proposed design procedure consists of five parts: (1) the estimation of the ultimate load capacity of the strengthened column, (2) the design of the initial pre-camber displacement of the steel plate, (3) the design of the vertical spacing of the bolts, (4) the design of the bearing ends of the steel plates, and (5) the calculation of the tightening force of the bolts. A worked example of the design of a PCP-strengthened RC column is shown to demonstrate the application of the proposed design procedure.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.221-240
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• 2017

The modeling of the mechanical behavior of quasi-brittle materials is still a challenge task, mainly in failure processes when fracture and plasticity phenomena become important actors in dissipative processes which occur in materials like concrete, as instance. Many homogenization-based approaches have been proposed to deal with heterogeneous materials in the last years. In this context, a computational homogenization modeling for concrete is presented in this work using the concept of Representative Volume Element (RVE). The material is considered as a three-phase material consisting of interface zone (ITZ), matrix and inclusions-each constituent modeled by an independent constitutive model. The Representative Volume Element (RVE) consists of inclusions idealized as circular shapes symmetrically and nonsymmetrically placed into the specimen. The interface zone is modeled by means of cohesive contact finite elements. The inclusion is modeled as linear elastic and matrix region is considered as elastoplastic material. A set of examples is presented in order to show the potentialities and limitations of the proposed modeling. The consideration of the fracture processes in the ITZ is fundamental to capture complex macroscopic characteristics of the material using simple constitutive models at mesoscopic level.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.241-255
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• 2017

Concrete is known to be the most used construction material worldwide. The environmental and economic aspects of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) containing concrete have led research studies to investigate the possibility of incorporating supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) in concrete. Metakaolin (MK) is one SCM with high pozzolanic reactivity generated throughout the thermal activation of high purity kaolinite clay at a temperature ranging from $500^{\circ}C$ to $800^{\circ}C$. Although many studies have evaluated the effect of MK on mechanical properties of concrete and have reported positive effects, limited articles are considering the effect of MK on durability properties of concrete. Considering the lifetime assessment of concrete structures, the durability of concrete has become of particular interest recently. In the present work, the influences of MK on mechanical and durability properties of concrete mixtures are evaluated. Various experiments such as slump flow test, compressive strength, water permeability, freeze and thaw cycles, rapid chloride penetration and surface resistivity tests were carried out to determine mechanical and durability properties of concretes. Concretes made with the incorporation of MK revealed better mechanical and durability properties compared to control concretes due to combined pozzolanic reactivity and the filler effect of MK.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.201-219
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• 2017

With the rapid growth in construction sector, it becomes all the more important to assess the amount of Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste being generated and analyze the practices needed to handle and use this waste before final disposal. This serves waste management and disposal issues, paving way to waste utilization in construction industry from the sustainability point of view. C&D waste constitutes a major bulk of total solid waste produced in the world. In this work, an attempt is made to study the performance of concrete using water soaked Recycled Coarse Aggregates (RCA) in replacement levels of 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% to Natural Coarse Aggregates (NCA). Experiments were designed and conducted to study the performance of RCA based concrete. Further suitable performance enhancement techniques to RCA based concrete were attempted, to achieve compressive strength at least equal to or more than that for no RCA based concrete (control concrete). Performance enhancement study is reported here for 50% and 100% RCA based concretes. All four techniques attempted have given favorable results encouraging use of RCA based concretes with full replacement levels, to adopt RCA based concrete in structural applications, without any kind of concern to the stake holder. Further attempts have also been made to use Recycled Fine Aggregates (RFA) with appropriate modifications to serve as fine aggregates in mortar and concrete. Using RFA blended with river sand fractions as well as RFA with Iron Ore Tailings (IOT) fractions, have given good results to serve as fine aggregates to the extent of 100% replacement levels in mortars and concretes.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.271-288
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• 2017

This paper aims to investigate the effects of replacing cement with ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) in self compacting concrete in the fresh and hardened state. The performance of SCC in moderate climate is well investigated but few studies are available on the effect of hot environment. In this paper, the effect of initial water-curing period and curing conditions on the performance of SCC is reported. Cement was substituted by GGBFS by weight at two different levels of substitution (15% and 25%). Concrete specimens were stored either in a standard environment (T=$20^{\circ}C$, RH=100%) or in the open air in North Africa during the summer period (T=35 to $40^{\circ}C$; R.H=50 to 60%) after an initial humid curing period of 0, 3, 7 or 28 days. Compressive strength at 28 and 90 days, capillary absorption, sorptivity, water permeability, porosity and chloride ion penetration were investigated. The results show that the viscosity and yield stress are decreased with increasing dosage of GGBFS. The importance of humid curing in hot climates in particular when GGBFS is used is also proved. The substitution of cement by GGBFS improves SCC durability at long term. The best performances were observed in concrete specimens with 25% GGBFS and for 28 days water curing.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.289-301
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• 2017

The synergistic interactions of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) with ordinary portland cement (OPC) in multi-blended systems could enhance the mechanical and durability properties of concrete and increase the amount of cement that can be replaced. In this study, the characteristics of the hydration products as well as paste microstructure of blended cement containing 20% coal fly ash, 10% rice hull ash and 10% sugar mill lime sludge in quaternary blended system was investigated. Portlandite content, hydration products, compressive strength, pore size distribution and microstructural architecture of hydrated blended cement pastes were examined. The quaternary blended cement paste showed lower compressive strength, reduced amount of Portlandite phases, and higher porosity compared to plain hardened cement paste. The interaction of SCMs with OPC influenced the hydration products, resulting to the formation of ettringite and monocarboaluminate phases. The blended cement paste also showed extensive calcium silicate hydrates and calcium aluminate silicate hydrates but unrefined compared to plain cement paste. In overall, the expected synergistic reaction was significantly hindered due to the low quality of supplementary cementitious materials used. Hence, pre-treatments of SCMs must be considered to enhance their reactivity as good quality SCMs can become limited in the future.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.319-332
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• 2020

The impacts of reinforcing concrete matrix with steel fibers, polypropylene fibers and recycled plastic fibers using different volume fractions of 0.15%, 0.5%, 1.5% and 2.5% on the compressive and tensile characteristics are experimentally investigated in the current research. Also, flexural behavior of plain concrete (PC) beams, shear performance of reinforced concrete (RC) beams and compressive characteristics of both PC and RC columns reinforced with recycled plastic fibers were studied. The experimental results showed that the steel fibers improved the splitting tensile strength of concrete higher than both the polypropylene fibers and recycled plastic fibers. The end-hooked steel fibers had a positive effect on the compressive strength of concrete while, the polypropylene fibers, the recycled plastic fibers and the rounded steel fibers had a negative impact. Compressive strength of end-hooked steel fiber specimen with volume fraction of 2.5% exhibited the highest value among all tested samples of 32.48 MPa, 21.83% higher than the control specimen. The ultimate load, stiffness, ductility and failure patterns of PC and RC beams in addition to PC and RC columns strengthened with recycled plastic fibers enhanced remarkably compared to non-strengthened elements. The maximum ultimate load and stiffness of RC column reinforced with recycled plastic fibers with 1.5% volume fraction improved by 21 and 15%, respectively compared to non-reinforced RC column.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.289-299
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• 2020

A reliability analysis of the axial compressive load bearing capacity of postfire reinforced concrete (RC) columns strengthened with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets was presented. A 3D finite element (FE) model was built for heat transfer analysis using software ABAQUS. Based on the temperature distribution obtained from the FE analysis, the residual axial compressive load bearing capacity of RC columns was worked out using the section method. Formulas for calculating the residual axial compressive load bearing capacity of the columns after fire exposure and the axial compressive load bearing capacity of postfire columns retrofitted with CFRP sheets were developed. Then the Monte Carlo method was used to analyze the reliability of the axial compressive load bearing capacity of the RC columns retrofitted with CFRP sheets using a code developed in MATLAB. The effects of fire exposure time, load ratio, number of CFRP layers, concrete cover thickness, and longitudinal reinforcement ratio on the reliability of the axial compressive load bearing capacity of the columns after fire were investigated. The results show that within 60 minutes of fire exposure time, the reliability index of the RC columns after retrofitting with two layers of CFRPs can meet the requirements of Chinese code GB 50068 (GB 2001) for safety level II. This method is effective and accurate for the reliability analysis of the axial load bearing capacity of postfire reinforced concrete columns retrofitted with CFRP.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.311-317
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• 2020

Performance of Sustainable materials continues through using of recycled waste construction materials to minimize the utilization of the natural resources. The cement industry is a major source of CO₂ in the atmosphere which is the main cause of global warming. Replacement of OPC with other sustainable cementitious materials has been the most interesting area of researches. This investigation focuses on the properties of alkali-activated mortar with the different replacement ratios of ceramic tile powder (CTP) by fine soil powder (FSP) (0 to 100)% and different molarities of sodium hydroxide concentrations. The experimental program was conducted by examining the compressive strength, water absorption, and water sorptivity. The results showed that the compressive strength of the specimens at age of (28, 56, and 90 days) increases with an increase in the amount of fine soil powder content and decreases at the age of 120 days. Also, minimum water absorption at the age of 90 days was found in the mixes containing 100% fine soil powder. However, fine soil powder replacement had a negative effect on the sorptivity and water absorption values at the age of 120 days. On the other hand, the 12M sodium hydroxide concentration was considered the optimum concentration compared to other concentrations.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.91-108
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• 2014

This paper presents a nonlinear finite element analysis (FEA) in order to investigate the flexural performance of one-way slabs strengthened by epoxy-bonded steel plates. Four point loading scheme is selectively chosen. A model is developed to implement the material constitutive relationships and non-linearity. Five Slabs were modeled in FEM software using ABAQUS. One slab was unstrengthened control slab and the others were strengthened with steel plates with varying the plate thickness and configuration. In order to verify the accuracy of the numerical model, a comparison was done between the experimental results available in the literature and the proposed equations by ACI 318-11 for the calculation of ultimate load capacities of strengthened slabs, the agreement has proven to be good and FEA attained accurate results compared with ACI code. A parametric study was also carried out to investigate the influence of thickness of steel plate, strength of epoxy layer and type of strengthening plate on the performance of plated slabs. Also, the practical and technical feasibility of splitting the steel plate in strengthening process has been taken into account. For practical use, the author recommended to use bonded steel plate as one unit rather than splitting it to parts, because this saves more effort and reduces the risk of execution errors as in the case of multiple bonded parts. Both techniques have nearly the same effect upon the performance of strengthened slabs.