• Computers and Concrete
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.275-291
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• 2012

The service loads are often decisive in the design of concrete structures. The evaluation of the cracking moment, $M_{cr}$, is an important issue to predict the performance of the structure, such as, the deflections of the reinforced concrete beams and slabs. To neglect the steel bars of the section is a simplification that is normally used in the computation of the cracking moment. Such simplification leads to small errors in the value of this moment (typically less than 20%). However, these small errors can conduce to significant errors when the values of deflections need to be computed from $M_{cr}$. The article shows that an error of 10% on the evaluation of $M_{cr}$ can lead to errors over 100% in the deformation values. When the deformation of the structure is the decisive design parameter, the exact computing of the cracking moment is obviously very important. Such rigorous computing might lead to important savings in the cost of the structure. With this article the authors wish to draw the attention of the technical community to this fact. A simple equation to evaluate the cracking moment, $M_{cr}$, is proposed for a rectangular cross-section. This equation leads to cracking moments higher than those obtained by neglecting the reinforcement bars and is a simple rule that can be included in Eurocode 2. To verify the accuracy of the developed model, the results of the proposed equation was compared with a rigorous computational procedure. The proposed equation corresponds to a good agreement when compared with the previous approach and, therefore, this model can be used as a practical aid for calculating an accurate value of the cracking moment.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.311-325
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• 2012

In this paper, we examine the behavior of the High-Rate Brittle Microplane (HRBM) concrete model based on a series of penetration experiments. These experiments were conducted with three different slab thicknesses (127, 216 and 254 mm) that provided a significant challenge for the numerical simulations. The 127 mm slab provided little resistance, the 216 mm slab provided nominal resistance and the 254 mm slab approached the perforation limit thickness of the projectile. These experiments provide a good baseline for evaluating material models since they have been shown to be extremely challenging; in fact, we have not encountered many material models that can provide quantitatively predictive results in terms of both projectile exit velocity and material damage. In a companion paper, we described the HRBM material model and its fit to various quasi-static material property data for WES-5000 concrete. In this paper, we show that, when adequately fit to these quasi-static data, the HRBM model does not have significant predictive capabilities, even though the quasi-static material fit may be exceptional. This was attributed to the rate-dependent response of the material. After various rate effects were introduced into the HRBM model, the quantitative predictive nature of the calculations dramatically increased. Unfortunately, not much rate-dependent material property data are in the literature; hence, accurate incorporation of rate effects into material models is difficult. Nonetheless, it seems that rate effects may be critical in obtaining an accurate response for concrete during projectile perforation events.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.203-220
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• 2010

In the present study, exterior beam-column sub-assemblage from a regular reinforced concrete (RC) building has been considered. Two different types of beam-column sub-assemblages from existing RC building have been considered, i.e., gravity load designed ('GLD'), and seismically designed but without any ductile detailing ('NonDuctile'). Hence, both the cases represent the under-designed structure at different time frame span before the introduction of ductile detailing. For designing 'NonDuctile' structure, Eurocode and Indian Standard were considered. Non-linear finite element (FE) program has been employed for analysing the sub-assemblages under cyclic loading. FE models were developed using quadratic concrete brick elements with embedded truss elements to represent reinforcements. It has been found that the results obtained from the numerical analysis are well corroborated with that of experimental results. Using the validated numerical models, it was proposed to correlate the energy dissipation from numerical analysis to that from experimental analysis. Numerical models would be helpful in practice to evaluate the seismic performance of the critical sub-assemblages prior to design decisions. Further, using the numerical studies, performance of the sub-assemblages with variation of axial load ratios (ratio is defined by applied axial load divided by axial strength) has been studied since many researchers have brought out inconsistent observations on role of axial load in changing strength and energy dissipation under cyclic load.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.41-57
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• 2009

This paper presents the details of a novel external prestressing technique for strengthening of concrete members. In the proposed technique, transfer of external force is in shear mode on the end block thus creating a complex stress distribution and the required transverse prestressing force is lesser compared to conventional techniques. Steel brackets are provided on either side of the end block for transferring external prestressing force and these are connected to the anchor blocks by expansion type anchor bolts. In order to validate the technique, an experimental investigation has been carried out on post-tensioned end blocks. Performance of the end blocks have been studied for design, cracking and ultimate loads. Slip and slope of steel bracket have been recorded at various stages during the experiment. Finite element analysis has been carried out by simulating the test conditions and the responses have been compared. From the analysis, it has been observed that the computed slope and slip of the steel bracket are in good agreement with the corresponding experimental observations. A simplified analytical model has been proposed to compute load-deformation of the loaded steel bracket with respect to the end block. Yield and ultimate loads have been arrived at based on force/moment equilibrium equations at critical sections. Deformation analysis has been carried out based on the assumption that the ratio of axial deformation to vertical deformation of anchor bolt would follow the same ratio at the corresponding forces such as yield and ultimate. It is observed that the computed forces, slip and slopes are in good agreement with the corresponding experimental observations.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.709-737
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• 2014

Fibre-reinforced self-compacting concrete (FRSCC) is a high-performance building material that combines positive aspects of fresh properties of self-compacting concrete (SCC) with improved characteristics of hardened concrete as a result of fibre addition. To produce SCC, either the constituent materials or the corresponding mix proportions may notably differ from the conventional concrete (CC). These modifications besides enhance the concrete fresh properties affect the hardened properties of the concrete. Therefore, it is vital to investigate whether all the assumed hypotheses about CC are also valid for SCC structures. In the present paper, the experimental results of short-term flexural load tests on eight reinforced SCC and FRSCC specimens slabs are presented. For this purpose, four SCC mixes - two plain SCC, two steel, two polypropylene, and two hybrid FRSCC slab specimens - are considered in the test program. The tests are conducted to study the development of SCC and FRSCC flexural cracking under increasing short-term loads from first cracking through to flexural failure. The achieved experimental results give the SCC and FRSCC slabs bond shear stresses for short-term crack width calculation. Therefore, the adopted bond shear stress for each mix slab is presented in this study. Crack width, crack patterns, deflections at mid-span, steel strains and concrete surface strains at the steel levels were recorded at each load increment in the post-cracking range.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.739-748
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• 2014

In this article, by using experimental studies and artificial neural network has been tried to investigate the use of nano-silica as concrete admixture to reduce alkali-silica reaction. If there are reactive aggregates and alkali of cement with enough moisture in concrete, a gel will be formed. Then with high reactivity between alkali of cement and existence of silica in aggregates, this gel will expand by absorption of water, and causes expansive pressure and cracks be formed. At the time passes, this gel will reduce both durability and strength of the concrete. By reducing the size of silicate to nano, specific surface area of particles and number of atoms on the surface will be increased, which causes more pozzolanic activity of them. Nano-silica can react with calcium hydroxide ($Ca(OH)_2$) and produces C-S-H gel. In this study, accelerated mortar bar specimens according to ASTM C 1260 and ASTM C 1567, with different mix proportions were prepared using aggregates of Kerman, such as: none admixture and plasticizer, different proportions of nano-silica separately. By opening the moulds after 24 hour and curing in water at $80^{\circ}C$ for 24 hour, then curing in (1N NaOH) at $80^{\circ}C$ for 14 days, length expansion of mortar bars were measured and compared. It was noted that, the lowest length expansion of a specimens shows the best proportion of admixture based on alkali-silica reactivity. Then, prediction of alkali-silica reaction of concrete has been investigated by using artificial neural network. In this study the backpropagation network has been used and compared with different algorithms to train network. Finally, the best amount of nano silica for adding to mix proportion, also the best algorithm and number of neurons in hidden layer of artificial neural network have been offered.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.153-159
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• 2017

In this study, the strength properties of alkali-activated silica fume (SF) mortars were investigated. The crushed limestone sand with maximum size of 0-5 mm and the sodium meta silicate ($Na_2SiO_3$) used to activate the binders were kept constant in the mortar mixtures. The mortar specimens using the replacement ratios of 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% SF by weight of cement together with $Na_2SiO_3$ at a constant rate were produced in addition to the control mortar produced by only cement. Moreover, the mortar specimens using the replacement ratio of 4% titanium dioxide ($TiO_2$) by weight of cement in the same mixture proportions were produced. The prismatic specimens produced from eleven different mixtures were de-moulded after a day, and the wet or dry cure was applied on the produced specimens at laboratory condition until the specimens were used for flexural strength ($f_{fs}$) and compressive strength ($f_c$) measurement at the ages of 7, 28 and 56 days. The $f_{fs}$ and $f_c$ values of mortars applied the wet or dry cure were compared with the results of control mortar. The findings revealed that the $f_c$ results of the alkali activated 50% SF mortars were higher than that of mortar produced with Portland cement only. It was found that the $f_{fs}$ and $f_c$ of alkali-activated SF mortars cured in dry condition was averagely 4% lower than that of alkali-activated SF mortars cured in wet condition.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.153-159
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• 2018

Accelerators are used to speed up the construction by accelerating the setting time which helps in early removal of formwork thus leading to faster construction rate. Admixtures are used in mortar and concrete during or after mixing to improve certain properties of material which cannot be achieved in conventional cement mortar and concrete. The various industrial by products make nuisance and are hazardous to ecosystem as well. These wastes can be used in the construction industries to reduce the consumption of cement/aggregates, cost; and save the energy and environment by utilising waste and eliminate their disposal problem as well. The effect of calcium nitrate and triethanolamine (TEA) as accelerators and marble powder (MP) as waste material on the various properties of cement paste and mortar has been studied in the present work. The replacement ratio of MP was 0-10% @ 2.5% by weight of cement. The addition of calcium nitrate was 0% and 1%; and variation of addition of TEA was 0-0.1@ 0.025% and 0.1-1.0@ 0.1% by weight of cement. On the basis of setting time, some mix proportions were selected and further investigated. Setting time and soundness of cement paste; compressive strength and microstructure of mortar mix of selected mix proportions were studied experimentally at 3, 7 and 28 days aging. Results showed that use of MP, calcium nitrate, TEA and their combination reduced setting time of cement paste for all the mixes. Addition of calcium nitrate increased the compressive strength at all curing ages while MP and TEA decreased the compressive strength. The mechanism of additives was discussed through scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis of the specimens.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.249-259
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• 2018

This paper presents Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models for evaluating bond strength of deformed, plain and cold formed bars in low strength concrete. The ANN models were implemented using the experimental database developed by conducting experiments in three different universities on total of 138 pullout and 108 splitting specimens under monotonic loading. The key parameters examined in the experiments are low strength concrete, bar development length, concrete cover, rebar type (deformed, cold-formed, plain) and diameter. These deficient parameters are typically found in non-engineered reinforced concrete structures of developing countries. To develop ANN bond model for each bar type, four inputs (the low strength concrete, development length, concrete cover and bar diameter) are used for training the neurons in the network. Multi-Layer-Perceptron was trained according to a back-propagation algorithm. The ANN bond model for deformed bar consists of a single hidden layer and the 9 neurons. For Tor bar and plain bars the ANN models consist of 5 and 6 neurons and a single hidden layer, respectively. The developed ANN models are capable of predicting bond strength for both pull and splitting bond failure modes. The developed ANN models have higher coefficient of determination in training, validation and testing with good prediction and generalization capacity. The comparison of experimental bond strength values with the outcomes of ANN models showed good agreement. Moreover, the ANN model predictions by varying different parameters are also presented for all bar types.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.209-220
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• 2018

In order to evaluate the effect of hybrid fibers on the flexural performance of tunnel segment at room temperature, twelve reinforced self-consolidating concrete (SCC) symmetric inclination beams containing steel fiber, macro polypropylene fiber, micro polypropylene fiber, and their hybridizations were studied under combined loading of flexure and axial compression. The results indicate that the addition of mono steel fiber and hybrid fibers can enhance the ultimate bearing capacity and cracking behavior of tested beams. These improvements can be further enhanced along with increasing the content of steel fiber and macro PP fiber, but reduced with the increase of the reinforcement ratio of beams. The hybrid effect of steel fiber and macro PP fiber was the most obvious. However, the addition of micro PP fibers led to a degradation to the flexural performance of reinforced beams at room temperature. Meanwhile, the hybrid use of steel fiber and micro polypropylene fiber didn't present an obvious improvement to SCC beams. Compared to micro polypropylene fiber, the macro polypropylene fiber plays a more prominent role on affecting the structural behavior of SCC beams. A calculation method for ultimate bearing capacity of flexural SCC symmetric inclination beams at room temperature by taking appropriate effect of hybrid fibers into consideration was proposed. The prediction results using the proposed model are compared with the experimental data in this study and other literature. The results indicate that the proposed model can estimate the ultimate bearing capacity of SCC symmetric inclination beams containing hybrid fibers subjected to combined action of flexure and axial compression at room temperature.