Instantaneous and time-dependent flexural cracking models of reinforced self-compacting concrete slabs with and without fibres

Farhad Aslani,Shami Nejadi,Bijan Samali 사단법인 한국계산역학회 2015 Computers and Concrete, An International Journal Vol.16 No.2

Self-compacting concrete (SCC) can be placed and compacted under its own weight with little or no compaction. It is cohesive enough to be handled without segregation or bleeding. Modifications in the mix design of SCC may significantly influence the material’s mechanical properties. Therefore, it is vital to investigate whether all the assumed hypotheses about conventional concrete (CC) are also valid for SCC structures. The aim in this paper is to develop analytical models for flexural cracking that describe in appropriate detail the observed cracking behaviour of the reinforced concrete flexural one way slabs tested. The crack width and crack spacing calculation procedures outlined in five international codes, namely Eurocode 2 (1991), CEB-FIP (1990), ACI318-99 (1999), Eurocode 2 (2004), and fib-Model Code (2010), are presented and crack widths and crack spacing are accordingly calculated. Then, the results are compared with the proposed analytical models and the measured experimental values, and discussed in detail.

Statistical calibration of safety factors for flexural stiffness of composite columns

Farhad Aslani,Ryan Lloyd,Brian Uy,Won-Hee Kang,Stephen Hicks 국제구조공학회 2016 Steel and Composite Structures, An International J Vol.20 No.1

Composite column design is strongly influenced by the computation of the critical buckling load, which is very sensitive to the effective flexural stiffness (EI) of the column. Because of this, the behaviour of a composite column under lateral loading and its response to deflection is largely determined by the EI of the member. Thus, prediction models used for composite member design should accurately mirror this behaviour. However, EI varies due to several design parameters, and the implementation of high-strength materials, which are not considered by the current composite design codes of practice. The reliability of the design methods from six codes of practice (i.e., AS 5100, AS/NZS 2327, Eurocode 4, AISC 2010, ACI 318, and AIJ) for composite columns is studied in this paper. Also, the reliability of these codes of practice against a serviceability limit state criterion are estimated based on the combined use of the test-based statistical procedure proposed by Johnson and Huang (1997) and Monte Carlo simulations. The composite columns database includes 100 tests of circular concrete-filled tubes, rectangular concrete-filled tubes, and concrete-encased steel composite columns. A summary of the reliability analysis procedure and the evaluated reliability indices are provided. The reasons for the reliability analysis results are discussed to provide useful insight and supporting information for a possible revision of available codes of practice.

Creep behaviour of normal- and high-strength self-compacting concrete

Farhad Aslani 국제구조공학회 2015 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.53 No.5

Realistic prediction of concrete creep is of crucial importance for durability and long-term serviceability of concrete structures. To date, research about the behaviour of self-compacting concrete (SCC) members, especially concerning the long-term performance, is rather limited. SCC is quite different from conventional concrete (CC) in mixture proportions and applied materials, particularly in the presenceof aggregate which is limited. Hence, the realistic prediction of creep strains in SCC is an important requirement for the design process of this type of concrete structures. This study reviews the accuracy of the conventional concrete (CC) creep prediction models proposed by the international codes of practice, including: CEB-FIP (1990), ACI 209R (1997), Eurocode 2 (2001), JSCE (2002), AASHTO (2004), AASHTO (2007), AS 3600 (2009). Also, SCC creep prediction models proposed by Poppe and De Schutter (2005), Larson (2007) and Cordoba (2007) are reviewed. Further, new creep prediction model based on the comprehensive analysis on both of the available models i.e. the CC and the SCC is proposed. The predicted creep strains are compared with the actual measured creep strains in 55 mixtures of SCC and 16 mixtures of CC.

Predicting the bond between concrete and reinforcing steel at elevated temperatures

Farhad Aslani,Bijan Samali 국제구조공학회 2013 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.48 No.5

Reinforced concrete structures are vulnerable to high temperature conditions such as those during a fire. At elevated temperatures, the mechanical properties of concrete and reinforcing steel as well as the bond between steel rebar and concrete may significantly deteriorate. The changes in the bonding behavior may influence the flexibility or the moment capacity of the reinforced concrete structures. The bond strength degradation is required for structural design of fire safety and structural repair after fire. However, the investigation of bonding between rebar and concrete at elevated temperatures is quite difficult in practice. In this study, bond constitutive relationships are developed for normal and high-strength concrete (NSC and HSC) subjected to fire, with the intention of providing efficient modeling and to specify the fireperformance criteria for concrete structures exposed to fire. They are developed for the following purposes at high temperatures: normal and high compressive strength with different type of aggregates, bond strength with different types of embedment length and cooling regimes, bond strength versus to compressive strength with different types of embedment length, and bond stress-slip curve. The proposed relationships at elevated temperature are compared with experimental results.

Confinement models for high strength short square and rectangular concrete-filled steel tubular columns

Farhad Aslani,Brian Uy,Ziwen Wang,Vipul Patel 국제구조공학회 2016 Steel and Composite Structures, An International J Vol.22 No.5

While extensive efforts have been made in the past to develop finite element models (FEMs) for concrete-filled steel tubular columns (CFSTCs), these models may not be suitable to be used in some cases, especially in view of the utilisation of high strength steel and high strength concrete. A method is presented herein to predict the complete stress-strain curve of concrete subjected to tri-axial compressive stresses caused by axial load coupled with lateral pressure due to the confinement action in square and rectangular CFSTCs with normal and high strength materials. To evaluate the lateral pressure exerted on the concrete in square and rectangular shaped columns, an accurately developed FEM which incorporates the effects of initial local imperfections and residual stresses using the commercial program ABAQUS is adopted. Subsequently, an extensive parametric study is conducted herein to propose an empirical equation for the maximum average lateral pressure, which depends on the material and geometric properties of the columns. The analysis parameters include the concrete compressive strength (<i>f</i>’<i>_c</i> = 20 - 110 N/mm²), steel yield strength (<i>f_y</i> = 220 - 850 N/mm²), width-to-thickness (<i>B/t</i>) ratios in the range of 15-52, as well as the length-to-width (<i>L/B</i>) ratios in the range of 2-4. The predictions of the behaviour, ultimate axial strengths, and failure modes are compared with the available experimental results to verify the accuracy of the models developed. Furthermore, a design model is proposed for short square and rectangular CFSTCs. Additionally, comparisons with the prediction of axial load capacity by using the proposed design model, Australian Standard and Eurocode 4 code provisions for box composite columns are carried out.

Stress-strain relationships for steel fiber reinforced self-compacting concrete

Aslani, Farhad,Natoori, Mehrnaz Techno-Press 2013 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.46 No.2

Steel fiber reinforced self-compacting concrete (SFRSCC) is a relatively new composite material which congregates the benefits of self-compacting concrete (SCC) technology with the profits derived from the fiber addition to a brittle cementitious matrix. Steel fibers improve many of the properties of SCC elements including tensile strength, toughness, energy absorption capacity and fracture toughness. Modification in the mix design of SCC may have a significant influence on the SFRSCC mechanical properties. Therefore, it is vital to investigate whether all of the assumed hypotheses for steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC) are also valid for SFRSCC structures. Although available research regarding the influence of steel fibers on the properties of SFRSCC is limited, this paper investigates material's mechanical properties. The present study includes: a) evaluation and comparison of the current analytical models used for estimating the mechanical properties of SFRSCC and SFRC, b) proposing new relationships for SFRSCC mixtures mechanical properties. The investigated mechanical properties are based on the available experimental results and include: compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, strain at peak compressive strength, tensile strength, and compressive and tensile stress-strain curves.

Stress-strain relationships for steel fiber reinforced selfcompacting concrete

Farhad Aslani,Mehrnaz Natoori 국제구조공학회 2013 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.46 No.2

Steel fiber reinforced self-compacting concrete (SFRSCC) is a relatively new composite material which congregates the benefits of self-compacting concrete (SCC) technology with the profits derived from the fiber addition to a brittle cementitious matrix. Steel fibers improve many of the properties of SCC elements including tensile strength, toughness, energy absorption capacity and fracture toughness. Modification in the mix design of SCC may have a significant influence on the SFRSCC mechanical properties. Therefore, it is vital to investigate whether all of the assumed hypotheses for steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC) are also valid for SFRSCC structures. Although available research regarding the influence of steel fibers on the properties of SFRSCC is limited, this paper investigates material’s mechanical properties. The present study includes: a) evaluation and comparison of the current analytical models used for estimating the mechanical properties of SFRSCC and SFRC, b) proposing new relationships for SFRSCC mixtures mechanical properties. The investigated mechanical properties are based on the available experimental results and include: compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, strain at peak compressive strength, tensile strength, and compressive and tensile stress-strain curves.

Short term bond shear stress and cracking control of reinforced self-compacting concrete one way slabs under flexural loading

Farhad Aslani,Shami Nejadi,Bijan Samali 사단법인 한국계산역학회 2014 Computers and Concrete, An International Journal Vol.13 No.6

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.

Predicting the axial load capacity of high-strength concrete filled steel tubular columns

Farhad Aslani,Brian Uy,Zhong Tao,Fidelis Mashiri 국제구조공학회 2015 Steel and Composite Structures, An International J Vol.19 No.4

The aim of this paper is to investigate the appropriateness of current codes of practice for predicting the axial load capacity of high-strength Concrete Filled Steel Tubular Columns (CFSTCs). Australian/New Zealand standards and other international codes of practice for composite bridges and buildings are currently being revised and will allow for the use of high-strength CFSTCs. It is therefore important to assess and modify the suitability of the section and ultimate buckling capacities models. For this purpose, available experimental results on high-strength composite columns have been assessed. The collected experimental results are compared with eight current codes of practice for rectangular CFSTCs and seven current codes of practice for circular CFSTCs. Furthermore, based on the statistical studies carried out, simplified relationships are developed to predict the section and ultimate buckling capacities of normal and high-strength short and slender rectangular and circular CFSTCs subjected to concentric loading.

Predicting the bond between concrete and reinforcing steel at elevated temperatures

Aslani, Farhad,Samali, Bijan Techno-Press 2013 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.48 No.5

Reinforced concrete structures are vulnerable to high temperature conditions such as those during a fire. At elevated temperatures, the mechanical properties of concrete and reinforcing steel as well as the bond between steel rebar and concrete may significantly deteriorate. The changes in the bonding behavior may influence the flexibility or the moment capacity of the reinforced concrete structures. The bond strength degradation is required for structural design of fire safety and structural repair after fire. However, the investigation of bonding between rebar and concrete at elevated temperatures is quite difficult in practice. In this study, bond constitutive relationships are developed for normal and high-strength concrete (NSC and HSC) subjected to fire, with the intention of providing efficient modeling and to specify the fire-performance criteria for concrete structures exposed to fire. They are developed for the following purposes at high temperatures: normal and high compressive strength with different type of aggregates, bond strength with different types of embedment length and cooling regimes, bond strength versus to compressive strength with different types of embedment length, and bond stress-slip curve. The proposed relationships at elevated temperature are compared with experimental results.