• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.347-356
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• 2021

To address the limitation of the commonly used steam curing of reactive powder concrete (SC-RPC) in engineering, a preparation technology of normal curing reactive powder concrete (NC-RPC) is proposed. In this study, an experimental comparative research on the mechanical properties of NC-RPC and SC-RPC under uniaxial tension is conducted. Under the premise of giving full play to the ultra-high performance of RPC, the paper tries to explore whether normal curing can replace steam curing. The results show that various mechanical indexes of NC-RPC (e.g., tensile strength, ultimate tensile strain, elastic modulus and deformation performance) could basically reach the mechanical index values in steam curing at 28d age, some performance is even better at a longer age. So it affirms the feasibility of normal curing. In this paper, the influence of normal curing age on the tensile properties of RPC is discussed, and the relationship between each index and age is introduced in detail. Based on the experimental data, the tensile mechanism of RPC is analyzed theoretically, and two kinds of tensile constitutive models for RPC are proposed, one is curvilinear model, and another one is polygonal line model. The validity of the two models is further verified by the test results of others.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.819-830
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• 2022

This paper presented an experimental study of the bond-slip behavior of reactive powder concrete (RPC)-filled square steel tube. A total of 18 short composite specimens were designed forstatic push-out test, and information on their failure patterns, load-slip behavior and bond strength was presented. The effects of width-to-thickness ratio, height-to-width ratio and the compressive strength of RPC on the bond behavior were discussed. The experimental results show that:(1) the push-out specimens remain intact and no visible local buckling appears on the steel tube, and the interfacial scratches are even more pronounced at the internal steel tube of loading end; (2) the bond load-slip curves with different width-to-thickness ratios can be divided into two types, and the main difference is whether the curves have a drop in load with increasing slip; (3) the bond strength decreases with the increase of the width-to-thickness ratio and height-width ratio, while the influence of RPC strength is not consistent; (4) the slippage has no definite correlation with bond strength and the influence of designed parameters on slippage is not evident. On the basis of the above analysis, the expressions of interface friction stress and mechanical interaction stress are determined by neglecting chemical adhesive force, and the calculation model of bond strength for RPC filled in square steel tube specimens is proposed. The theoretical results agree well with the experimental data.

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.29-37
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• 2016

The paper presents a research project on the tensile properties of RPC mixed with both steel and polypropylene fibers after exposure to $20-900^{\circ}C$. The direct and the indirect tensile strength (in bending) were measured through tensile experiment on dog-bone specimens and bending experiment on $40{\times}40{\times}160mm$ prisms. RPC microstructure was analyzed using scanning electron microscope. The results indicate that, steel fibers can significantly improve the tensile performance of hybrid fiber-reinforced RPC, whereas polypropylene fibers have no obvious effect on the tensile performance. With increasing temperature, the flexural and axial tensile strength of hybrid fiber-reinforced RPC substantially decrease linearly, which attributes to the deteriorating microstructure. Based on the experimental results, equations are established to express the decay of the flexural and tensile strength with increasing temperature.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.83-86
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• 2010

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.491-502
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• 2017

In this research, the application of ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) test as a nondestructive method for estimating some of the mechanical and dynamic properties of reactive powder concrete (RPC) containing steel and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers, as well as their combination was explored. In doing so, ten different mix designs were prepared in 19 experimental groups of specimens containing three different volume contents of steel fibers (i.e., 1, 2, and 3 %) and PVA fibers (i.e., 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75 %), as well as hybrid fibers (i.e., 0.25-0.75, 0.5-0.5, and 0.75-0.25 %). The specimens in these groups were prepared under the two curing regimes of normal and heat treatment. Moreover, the UPV test results were employed to estimate the compressive strength, dynamic modulus, shear modulus, and Poisson's ratio of the RPC concrete and to investigate the quality level of the used concrete. At the end, the effect of the specimen shape and in fact the measuring distance length on the UPV results was explored. The results of this research suggest that the steel fiber-containing RPC specimens demonstrate the highest level of ultrasonic pulse velocity as well as the highest values of the mechanical and dynamic properties. Moreover, heat treatment has a positive effect on the density, UPV, dynamic modulus, Poisson's ratio, and compressive strength of the RPC specimens, whereas it leads to a negligible increase or decrease in the shear modulus and static modulus of elasticity. Furthermore, the specimen shape affects the UPV of fiber-lacking specimens while negligibly affecting that of fiber-reinforced specimens.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.411-421
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• 2014

A central pullout test was conducted to investigate the bonding properties between high strength rebar and reactive powder concrete (RPC), which covered ultimate pullout load, ultimate bonding stress, free end initial slip, free end slip at peak load, and load-slip curve characteristics. The effects of varying rebar buried length, thickness of protective layer and diameter of rebars on the bonding properties were studied, and how to determine the minimum thickness of protective layer and critical anchorage length was suggested according the test results. The results prove that: 1) Ultimate pull out load and free end initial slip load increases with increase in buried length, while ultimate bonding stress and slip corresponding to the peak load reduces. When buried length is increased from 3d to 4d(d is the diameter of rebar), after peak load, the load-slip curve descending segment declines faster, but later the load rises again exceeding the first peak load. When buried length reaches 5d, rebar pull fracture occurs. 2) As thickness of protective layer increases, the ultimate pull out load, ultimate bond stress, free end initial slip load and the slip corresponding to the peak load increase, and the descending section of the curve becomes gentle. The recommended minimum thickness of protective layer for plate type members should be the greater value between d and 10 mm, and for beams or columns the greater value between d and 15 mm. 3) Increasing the diameter of HRB500 rebars leads to a gentle slope in the descending segment of the pullout curve. 4) The bonding properties between high strength steel HRB500 and RPC is very good. The suggested buried length for test determining bonding strength between high strength rebars and RPC is 4d and a formula to calculate the critical anchorage length is established. The relationships between ultimate bonding stress and thickness of protective layer or the buried length was obtained.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.13-25
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• 2019

Reactive powder concrete (RPC) is a type of ultra-high strength concrete that has a relatively high brittleness. However, its ductility can be improved by confinement, and the use of RPC in composite RPC filled steel tube columns has become an important subject of research in recent years. This paper aims to present an experimental study of axial capacity calculation of RPC filled circular steel tube columns. Twenty short columns under axial compression were tested and information on their failure patterns, deformation performance, confinement mechanism and load capacity were presented. The effects of load conditions, diameter-thickness ratio and compressive strength of RPC on the axial behavior were further discussed. The experimental results show that: (1) specimens display drum-shaped failure or shear failure respectively with different confinement coefficients, and the load capacity of most specimens increases after the peak load; (2) the steel tube only provides lateral confinement in the elastic-plastic stage for fully loaded specimens, while the confinement effect from steel tube initials at the set of loading for partially loaded specimens; (3) confinement increases the load capacity of specimens by 3% to 38%, and this increase is more pronounced as the confinement coefficient becomes larger; (4) the residual capacity-to-ultimate capacity ratio is larger than 0.75 for test specimens, thus identifying the composite columns have good ductility. The working mechanism and force model of the composite columns were analyzed, and based on the twin-shear unified strength theory, calculation methods of axial capacity for columns with two load conditions were established.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.111-122
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• 2019

This paper presents an experimental work on the post-fire behavior of two kinds of innovative composite stub columns under eccentric compression. The partially precast steel reinforced concrete (PPSRC) column is composed of a precast outer-part cast using steel fiber reinforced reactive powder concrete (RPC) and a cast-in-place inner-part cast using conventional concrete. Based on the PPSRC column, the hollow precast steel reinforced concrete (HPSRC) column has a hollow column core. With the aim to investigate the post-fire performance of these composite columns, six stub column specimens, including three HPSRC stub columns and three PPSRC stub columns, were exposed to the ISO834 standard fire. Then, the cooling specimens and a control specimen unexposed to fire were eccentrically loaded to explore the residual capacity. The test parameters include the section shape, concrete strength of inner-part, eccentricity ratio and heating time. The test results indicated that the precast RPC shell could effectively confine the steel shape and longitudinal reinforcements after fire, and the PPSRC stub columns experienced lower core temperature in fire and exhibited higher post-fire residual strength as compared with the HPSRC stub columns due to the insulating effect of core concrete. The residual capacity increased with the increasing of inner concrete strength and with the decreasing of heating time and load eccentricity. Based on the test results, a FEA model was established to simulate the temperature field of test specimens, and the predicted results agreed well with the test results.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.29 no.5A
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• pp.565-575
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• 2009

In recent years, there have been numerous explosion-related accidents due to military and terrorist activities. Such incidents caused not only damages to structures but also human casualties, especially in urban areas. To protect structures and save human lives against explosion accidents, better understanding of the explosion effect on structures is needed. In an explosion, the blast load is applied to concrete structures as an impulsive load of extremely short duration with very high pressure and heat. Generally, concrete is known to have a relatively high blast resistance compared to other construction materials. However, normal strength concrete structures require higher strength to improve their resistance against impact and blast loads. Therefore, a new material with high-energy absorption capacity and high resistance to damage is needed for blast resistance design. Recently, Ultra High Strength Concrete(UHSC) and Reactive Powder Concrete(RPC) have been actively developed to significantly improve concrete strength. UHSC and RPC, can improve concrete strength, reduce member size and weight, and improve workability. High strength concrete are used to improve earthquake resistance and increase height and bridge span. Also, UHSC and RPC, can be implemented for blast resistance design of infrastructure susceptible to terror or impact such as 9.11 terror attack. Therefore, in this study, the blast tests are performed to investigate the behavior of UHSC and RPC slabs under blast loading. Blast wave characteristics including incident and reflected pressures as well as maximum and residual displacements and strains in steel and concrete surface are measured. Also, blast damages and failure modes were recorded for each specimen. From these tests, UHSC and RPC have shown to better blast explosions resistance compare to normal strength concrete.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.84 no.3
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• pp.393-411
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• 2022

A high-performance reactive powder concrete (RPC) has been readied alongside river sand, with 1.25 mm particle size when under the condition of 80C steam curing. As a heat and sound insulation, expanded perlite aggregate (EPA) provides economic advantages in building. Concrete containing EPA is examined in terms of cement types (CEM II 32.5R and CEM I 42.5R), doses (0, 2%, 4% and 6%) as well as replacement rates in this research study. The compressive and density of concrete were used in the testing. At the end of the 28-day period, destructive and nondestructive tests were performed on cube specimens of 150 mm150 mm150 mm. The concrete density is not decreased with the addition of more perlite (from 45 to 60 percent), since the enlarged perlite has a very low barrier to crushing. To get a homogenous and fluid concrete mix, longer mixing times for all the mix components are necessary due to the higher amount of perlite. As a result, it is not suggested to use greater volumes of this aggregate in RPC. In the presence of de-icing salt, the lightweight RPC exhibits excellent freeze-thaw resistance (mass is less than 0.2 kg/m²). The addition of perlite strengthens the aggregate-matrix contact, but there is no apparent ITZ. An increased compressive strength was seen in concretes containing expanded perlite powder and steel fibers with good performance.