• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.519-533
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• 2005

The numerical simulations on the influence of mesoscopic structures on the macroscopic strength and fracture characteristics are carried out based on that the concrete is assumed to be a three-phase composite composed of matrix (mortar), aggregate and bond between them by using a numerical code named MFPA. The finite element program is employed as the basic stress analysis tool when the elastic damage mechanics is used to describe the constitutive law of meso-level element and the maximum tensile strain criterion and Mohr-Coulomb criterion are utilized as damage threshold. It can be found from the numerical results that the bond between matrix and aggregate has a significant effect on the macroscopic mechanical performance of concrete.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.95-110
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• 2011

This paper presents a tri-uniform bond stress model for predicting the lap splice strength of reinforcing bar at the critical bond splitting failure. The proposed bond distribution model consists of three zones, namely, splitting zone, post-splitting zone and yielding zone. In each zone, the bond stress is assumed to be constant. The models for bond strength in each zone are adopted from previous studies. Combining the equilibrium, strain-slip relation and the bond strength model in each zone, the steel stress-slip model can be derived, which can be used in the nonlinear frame analysis of the column. The proposed model is applied to derive explicit equations for predicting the strength of the lap splice strengthened by fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) in both elastic and post-yield ranges. For design purpose, a procedure to calculate the required FRP thickness and the number of FRP sheets is also presented. A parametric investigation was conducted to study the relation between lap splice strength and lap splice length, number and thickness of FRP sheets and the ratio of concrete cover to bar diameter. The study shows that the lap splice strength can be enhanced by increasing one of these parameters: lap splice length, number or thickness of FRP sheets and concrete cover to bar diameter ratio. Verification of the model has been conducted using experimental data available in literature.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.81-88
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• 2005

The effects of rebar corrosion on the structural behaviour of reinforced concrete structures were discussed based on recent experimental investigation. The load carrying capacity of the deteriorated beams was quantitatively estimated by evaluating the degree of rebar corrosion in terms of the average cross-sectional loss of longitudinal reinforcing bars and bond deterioration between corroded reinforcing bars and concrete.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.251-267
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• 2009

Reinforced concrete (RC) structures consist of two different materials: concrete and steel bar. The stress transfer behaviour between the two materials through bond plays an important role in the load-carrying capacity of RC structures, especially when they subject to lateral load such as blast and seismic load. Therefore, bond and slip between concrete and reinforcement bar will affect the response of RC structures under such loads. However, in most numerical analyses of blast-induced structural responses, the perfect bond between concrete and steel bar is often assumed. The main reason is that it is very difficult to model bond slip in the commercial finite element software, especially in hydrodynamic codes. In the present study, a one-dimensional slide line contact model in LS-DYNA for modeling sliding of rebar along a string of concrete nodes is creatively used to model the bond slip between concrete and steel bars in RC structures. In order to model the bond slip accurately, a new approach to define the parameters of the one-dimensional slide line model from common pullout test data is proposed. Reliability and accuracy of the proposed approach and the one-dimensional slide line in modelling the bond slip between concrete and steel bar are demonstrated through comparison of numerical results and experimental data. A case study is then carried out to investigate the bond slip effect on numerical analysis of blast-induced responses of a RC column. Parametric studies are also conducted to investigate the effect of bond shear modulus, maximum elastic slip strain, and damage curve exponential coefficient on blast-induced response of RC columns. Finally, recommendations are given for modelling the bond slip in numerical analysis of blast-induced responses of RC columns.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.319-336
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• 2015

Life cycle performance of corrosion affected RC structures is an important and challenging issue for effective infrastructure management. The accurate condition assessment of corroded RC structures mainly depends on the effective evaluation of deterioration occurring in the structures. Structural performance deterioration caused by reinforcement corrosion is a complex phenomenon which is generally uncertain and non-decreasing. Therefore, a stochastic modelling such as the gamma process can be an effective tool to consider the temporal uncertainty associated with performance deterioration. This paper presents a time-dependent reliability analysis of corrosion affected RC structures associated bond strength degradation. Initially, an analytical model to evaluate cracking in the concrete cover and the associated loss of bond between the corroded steel and the surrounding cracked concrete is developed. The analytical results of cover surface cracking and bond strength deterioration are examined by experimental data available. Then the verified analytical results are used for the stochastic deterioration modelling, presented here as gamma process. The application of the proposed approach is illustrated with a numerical example. The results from the illustrative example show that the proposed approach is capable of assessing performance of the bond strength of concrete structures affected by reinforcement corrosion during their lifecycle.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.74 no.5
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• pp.589-600
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• 2020

The bonding interface of the concrete slab track and cement-asphalt mortar layer plays an important role in transferring load and restraining the track slab's deformation for slab track structures without concrete bollards in high-speed railway. However, the interfacial bond-slip behavior is seldom considered in the structural analysis; no credible constitutive model has been presented until now. Elaborating the field tests of concrete to cement-asphalt mortar interface subjected to longitudinal and transverse shear loads, this paper revealed its bond capacity and failure characteristics. Interfacial fractures all happen on the contact surface of the concrete track slab and mortar-layer in the experiments. Aiming at this failure mechanism, an interfacial mechanical model that employed the bilinear local bond-slip law was established. Then, the interfacial shear stresses of different loading stages and the load-displacement response were derived. By ensuring that the theoretical load-displacement curve is consistent with the experiment result, an interfacial bond-slip constitutive model including its the corresponding parameters was proposed in this paper. Additionally, a finite element model was used to validate this constitutive model further. The constitutive model presented in this paper can be used to describe the real interfacial bonding effect of slab track structures with similar materials under shear loads.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.74 no.3
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• pp.313-323
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• 2020

Non-destructive tests are commonly used in construction industry to access the quality and strength of concrete. However, till date there is no non-destructive testing method that can be adopted to evaluate the bond condition of reinforced concrete beams. In this regard, the presented research work details the use of ultra-sonic pulse velocity test method to evaluate the bond condition of reinforced concrete beam. A detailed experimental research was conducted by testing four identical reinforced concrete beam samples. The samples were loaded in equal increments till failure and ultra-sonic pulse velocity readings were recorded along the length of the beam element. It was observed from experimentation that as the cracks developed in the sample, the ultra-sonic wave velocity reduced for the same path length. This reduction in wave velocity was used to identify the initiation, development and propagation of internal micro-cracks along the length of reinforcement. Using the developed experimental methodology, researchers were able to identify weak spots in bond along the length of the specimen. The proposed method can be adopted by engineers to access the quality of bond for steel reinforcement in beam members. This allows engineers to carryout localized repairs thereby resulting in reduction of time, cost and labor needed for strengthening. Furthermore, the methodology to apply the proposed technique in real-world along with various challenges associated with its application have also been highlighted.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.337-346
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• 2005

The paper reports on a study of bond strength between reduced-water-content concrete and tensile reinforcement in spliced mode. Three different diameters (12, 16 and 22 mm) of tensile steel were spliced in the constant moment zone, where there were two bars of same size in tension. For each diameter of reinforcement, a total of nine beams ($1900{\times}270{\times}180mm$) were tested, of which three beams were with no axial force (positive bending) and the other six beams were with axial force (combined bending). The splice length was selected so that bars would fail in bond, splitting the concrete cover in the splice region, before reaching the yield point. It was found that there was a considerable size effect in the experimental results, i.e., as the diameter of the reinforcement reduced the bond strength and the deflection recorded at the midspan increased significantly, whilst the stiffness of the beams reduced. It was also found for all reinforcement sizes that higher bond strength and stiffness were obtained for beams tested in combined bending than that of the beams tested in positive bending only.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.211-229
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• 2007

An experimental investigation to determine the transfer length of a seven-wire prestressing strand in different concretes is presented in this paper. A testing technique based on the analysis of bond behaviour by means of measuring the force supported by the prestressing strand on a series of specimens with different embedment lengths has been used. An analytical bond model to calculate the transfer length from an inelastic bond stress distribution along the transfer length has been obtained. A relationship between the plastic bond stress for transfer length and the concrete compressive strength at the time of prestress transfer has been found. An equation to predict the average and both the lower bound and the upper bound values of transfer length is proposed. The experimental results have not only been compared with the theoretical prediction from proposed equations in the literature, but also with experimental results obtained by several researchers.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.339-353
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• 1997

Fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) rods provide certain benefits over steel as concrete reinforcement, such as corrosion resistance, magnetic and electrical insulation, light weight, and high strength. FRP composites can be combined with a steel core to form hybrid reinforcing rods that take advantage of properties of both materials. The objective of this study was to characterize the bond behavior of hybrid FRP rods made with braided epoxy-impregnated aramid or poly-vinyl alcohol FRP skins. Eleven rod types were tested using two concrete strengths. Specific topics examined were bond strength, slip, and type of failure in concentric pull-out tests from concrete cubes. From analysis of identical pull-out tests on both hybrid and steel rods, information on relative bond strength and behavior were obtained. It is concluded that strength is similar but slip in hybrid rods is much higher. Hybrid rods failed either by pull-out or splitting the concrete block (with or without yielding of the steel core). Experimental data showed consistency with similar test results presented in the literature.