• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.39-48
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• 2011

The present investigation evaluates the flexural behavior of pre-tensioned lightweight concrete beams under two-point symmetrical concentrated loads according to the variation of the partial prestressing ratio and the effective prestress of prestressing strands. The designed compressive strength of the lightweight concrete with a dry density of 1,770 $kg/m^3$ was 35 MPa. The deformed bar with a yield strength of 383 MPa and three-wire mono-strands with tensile strength of 2,040 MPa were used for longitudinal tensile reinforcement and prestressing steel reinforcement, respectively. According to the test results, the flexural capacity of pre-tensioned lightweight concrete beams increased with the increase of the partial prestressing ratio and was marginally influenced by the effective prestress of strands. With the same reinforcing index, the normalized flexural capacity of pre-tensioned lightweight concrete beams was similar to that of pre-tensioned normal-weight concrete beams tested by Harajli and Naaman and Bennett. On the other hand, the displacement ductility ratio of pre-tensioned lightweight concrete beams increased with the decrease of the partial prestressing ratio and with the increase of the effective prestress of strands. The load-displacement relationship of pre-tensioned lightweight concrete beam specimens can be suitably predicted by the developed non-linear two-dimensional analysis procedure. In addition, the flexural cracking moment and flexural capacity of pre-tensioned lightweight concrete beams can be conservatively evaluated using the elasticity theorem and the approach specified in ACI 318-08, respectively.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.6 no.6
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• pp.451-472
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• 2009

Based on a numerical method to analyse the full-range behaviour of prestressed concrete beams with unbonded tendons, parametric studies are carried out to investigate the influence of 11 parameters on the curvature ductility of unbonded prestressed concrete (UPC) beams. It is found that, among various parameters studied, the depth to prestressing tendons, depth to non-prestressed tension steel, partial prestressing ratio, yield strength of non-prestressed tension steel and concrete compressive strength have substantial effects on the curvature ductility. Although the curvature ductility of UPC beams is affected by a large number of factors, rather simple equations can be formulated for reasonably accurate estimation of curvature ductility. Conversion factors are introduced to cope with the difference in partial safety factors, shapes of equivalent stress blocks and the equations to predict the ultimate tendon stress in BS8110, EC2 and ACI318. The same equations can also be used to provide conservative estimates of ductility of UPC beams with compression steel.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.65-77
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• 2006

This study reports the details of the finite element analysis of eleven shear critical partially prestressed concrete T-beams having steel fibers over partial or full depth. Prestressed concrete T-beams having a shear span to depth ratio of 2.65 and 1.59 and failing in the shear have been analyzed using 'ANSYS'. The 'ANSYS' model accounts for the nonlinear phenomenon, such as, bond-slip of longitudinal reinforcements, post-cracking tensile stiffness of the concrete, stress transfer across the cracked blocks of the concrete and load sustenance through the bridging of steel fibers at crack interface. The concrete is modeled using 'SOLID65'-eight-node brick element, which is capable of simulating the cracking and crushing behavior of brittle materials. The reinforcements such as deformed bars, prestressing wires and steel fibers have been modeled discretely using 'LINK8' - 3D spar element. The slip between the reinforcement (rebar, fibers) and the concrete has been modeled using a 'COMBIN39'-non-linear spring element connecting the nodes of the 'LINK8' element representing the reinforcement and nodes of the 'SOLID65' elements representing the concrete. The 'ANSYS' model correctly predicted the diagonal tension failure and shear compression failure of prestressed concrete beams observed in the experiment. The capability of the model to capture the critical crack regions, loads and deflections for various types of shear failures in prestressed concrete beam has been illustrated.