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Concrete
ELSEVIER Cement & Concrete Composites 21 (1999) 213-221
Composites
Abstract
This paper presents an analysis of the influence of prestress and fibers on the shear behaviour of thin-walled I-section beams with
reduced shear reinforcement ratio. Reduction of shear reinforcement in prestressed precast beams can make the reinforcement
simpler and may increase the productivity in long line precasting beds. The use of short fibers can improve the shear strength and
ductility. Nine concrete beams were built (six with prestressing forces) with three different mixtures: without fibers, with steel fibers,
and with polypropylene fibers. Shear reinforcement ratios varied from 0 to 0.225% (geometric ratio). It was noted that prestressing
increases cracking strength (both in bending and shear), extends the non-cracked area, and makes the compression struts less in-
clined. In the case of fiber reinforced concrete beams, control of cracking is more effective and consequently deflections are smaller.
Ductility is also increased. Both fibers and prestressing reduce stresses in the stirrups and increase shear strength. 0 1999 Elsevier
Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywordx Concrete beam; Prestressing; Shear strength; Fiber reinforcement; Precast concrete
0958-9465/99/s - see front matter 0 I999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
PII: SO958-9465(98)00054-7
214 S. Furlan Jimior. J. Bento de Had I Cement & Concrete Composites 21 (1999) 213-221
2. Experimental
2.1. Materials
program
2.2. Models
SECTION A-A SECTION B-B
Nine I-section beams were produced, varying the Fig. 1. Geometric characteristics
types of fiber, the existence of prestressing, and the shear
reinforcement ratio. In the beams with fibers, the vol-
ume added to the concrete was kept constant, i.e., equal The prestressing force was kept approximately equal
to 0.5% of polypropylene fiber or 1% of steel fiber. Si- to 105 kN (on the day of the test) on all the prestressed
multaneous to the production of these beams, six beams. The beams were tested by application of two
150 x 300 mm cylindrical test samples were molded to point-loads, with the shear span equal to 4 d (d is the
determine the mechanical properties of the concrete. effective height of the section). Table 1 summarizes
Shear reinforcement (stirrups) consisted of 3.4 mm the principal data from the nine beams. Fig. 1 shows
diameter wires with a 750 MPa yield strength. Longi- the geometry of the beam and Fig. 2 illustrates the
tudinal reinforcement consisted of 9.5 mm strands reinforcement and the loading scheme.
(seven wire prestressing strands) and 1770 MPa yield The beams were instrumented with electrical strain
strength. gauges on the concrete compression zone (symbol C),
The first six beams had the same shear reinforcement, on the longitudinal reinforcement (symbol A) and on
among them three beams with prestress and three the stirrups (symbol E). Also, three direction electric
without. In each group of three specimens, only the strain gauges (rosettes, R) were placed on the web. In
concrete mixtures varied, that is, two mixes with fibers addition LVDT gauges were installed on the supports,
and one without fibers. In the third group of three the middle of the span, and at the loading sections.
beams, also prestressed, shear reinforcement was still Fig. 3 shows the position of the gauges and the
more reduced in comparison with the former groups. symbols.
Table 1
Test beam characteristics
Beam Fiber: volume and type Superplasticizer Prestress Geometric shear Stirrup Shear reinforcement
(P polyp. S steel) (r/i,) reinforcement ratio spacing (mm) (cm2/m)
b) BEAMS W and V6
100 100
J59 r , 275 1 275 I 275 ,200, 290 290 I 290 _. 290 290 1200 275 I 275 I 275 I r 1l54,
I II1 I I 1 1 11,
!!!I! III!!
III!; III!!
IIIII
III,, III!!
III,,
LCL, *
n
- -n
c) BBAM VQ
N2 - 3 0 lO.DmnSTRAND (4000mm)
9
3
Nl
N2 0 4.2mm
3
SECTION A-A
I
Cl
. .
c3
.
c5 c F/2
CO
F/2
Cb c4 c2
I
El0 E6 E6 E4 E2
BEAMS V2-V6
Ft4 I&
A3 A5 A0 A6 A4 A2A
Cl c3 Cl c4 c2
BUMS V7 and V8
AAl A3 A5 A0 A6 A4 A2n-
Cl c3 c5 CB C6 c4 c2
AAl A3 A5 A0 A6 A4 A2A
3.1. Properties of concrete A view of the beams after testing is shown in Fig. 4.
Table 4 summarizes the main data on failure: minimum
The addition of fibers decreased the workability of strut slope realized and maximum shear force.
the fresh concrete, particularly in the case of polypro- The theoretical values of ultimate shear force (VU)
pylene fiber, which had a very high aspect ratio (length/ and longitudinal reinforcement yielding force (Vr) are
diameter ratio). Table 2 shows the values of compressive also shown. The ultimate shear forces for the prestressed
strength, tensile strength and initial modulus of elastic- beams were calculated following two methods based on
ity, at the age of the concrete of each tested beam. The the truss analogy (taking into account the term of the
last column of Table 2 shows the values of the modulus concrete contribution - V,). The first method is based on
of elasticity divided by the square root of compressive increased I, (according to the relation between de-
strength, as an attempt to minimize the influence of compression bending moment and maximum design
concrete strength on this parameter. moment). The second one takes into consideration
It was noted that the introduction of fibers did not the increased resistance equivalent to shear force
increase compressive strength. However, there was a decompression.
variation of strength associated with the conditions of In Table 4, the IU,retvalues were obtained by dividing
matrix consistency. The values were lower in the case of the ultimate experimental forces (I,,,) by the square
the polypropylene fiber concrete beams, where altera- root of the concrete compression strength. This was
tion of the consistency is more significant. Variation in done to highlight the influence of the fibers and prestress
the remaining beams was more discrete, the highest on the results.
variation occurring in the beam without fibers (beam The last column shows the relation between experi-
Vl) in which no superplasticizer was used. Tensile mental and theoretical ultimate shear forces. For the
strength of steel fiber concrete measured in split tests prestressed beams, two ratios are shown according to
was higher, regardless of the value of compressive the two calculation methods mentioned earlier.
strength. The addition of fibers improved the shear strength,
Table 3 summarizes the results, grouped into the except in the beams without stirrups. Prestressing pro-
three types of mixtures utilized. The modulus of elas- vided the same result, but with higher intensity, and
ticity of steel fiber concrete was higher, while the value regardless of the shear reinforcement.
for polypropylene fiber was lower. The differences Strut slope close to failure was lower in the cases of
practically disappear in the case of the last column of the prestressed beams. The effect of fibers and of the
Table 3, suggesting that concrete strength may be the reduction of shear reinforcement in this phenomenon
determinant factor for the value of modulus of elasticity. was slight.
Table 2
Properties of the concrete
Beam Age (days) Compressive strengthf, Tensile strength f; (MPa) Modulus of elasticity E, Relative modulus of
(MPa) (MPa) elasticity E& o 5
Table 3
Average values of the corresponding mixtures
Concrete mix Compressive strength fc (MPa) Modulus of elasticity E, (GPa) Relative modulus of elasticity E& o.5
Table 4
Parameters on failure
Beam Compressive Minimum slope of the Ultimate shear force Vu W) Vf (W V,,,,I (W Experimental/
strength fc (MPa) compression struts V,,, W) theoretical ratio
(grads)
Vl 48.5 24 42 28.9 69.6 6.03 1.45
v2 31.4 21 50 27.7 68.6 8.18 1.81
v3 52.8 26 50 29.4 69.8 6.88 1.7
v4 51.2 20 63.5 36.4149.5 70.1 8.40 1.7411.28
v5 52.1 20 13.5 35.6148.6 69.8 10.18 2.06/1.51
V6 59.1 21 71.5 36.7149.9 70.2 9.3 1.9511.43
v7 52.1 17 47 21142.2 69.8 6.5 2.24D.11
V8 44.9 20 45 19.6/40.4 69.3 6.72 2.30/1.11
v9 52.3 20 72.5 30.4/51.1 69.8 10.03 2.3911.42
The ultimate shear force was much higher than the Contrary to what occurred with the influence of fi-
one obtained theoretically, confirming the conservative bers, the difference between shear force corresponding to
approach of the formula, which underestimates the first inclined crack and shear force failure did not in-
contribution of concrete in shear resistance. crease with prestressing. In the prestressed beams, the
When the effect of prestressing is disregarded in the increase of the shear force corresponding to first inclined
beams without stirrups, the relation between the exper- crack was proportional to the decompression of the
imental and theoretical values is close to 2.35. The dif- section subjected to the maximum bending moment. The
ference in the beams with stirrups was slightly lower. untracked zones at the ends of the prestressed beams
This occurred because, besides the significant and pre- was larger, although cracking near the middle span was
dictable contribution of the stirrups, the concrete con- similar to that observed in the non-prestressed beams.
tribution (dowel effect, crack friction and the action of This happens because decompression at the extremities
the compression zone) in the transfer of transversal of the beams occurs later.
forces diminished, since cracking was more intense. The Although the beam had a relatively thin web, the first
increase of resistance due to prestressing was propor- shear cracks always resulted from the prolongation of
tional to the decompression of the section analyzed. bending cracks. There was no influence of fibers in re-
Increased strength in the fiber reinforced beams var- lation to the instant when shear cracks appeared.
ied from 8 to 10 kN (13% to 19%). When one considers However, after inclined cracking, additional strength
the variation of the relation between theoretical and was greater in all the fiber reinforced beams except in
experimental maximum loads, that takes into account those without stirrups. Shear cracks at the extremities of
the influence of the quality of the concrete on the be- the beam were more numerous in the case of fiber re-
haviour of the beam, this increase varied between 12% inforced beams, which allowed strength increase. In
and 24%. There was a variation of 14% and 36% in the addition to the direct action of fibers as shear rein-
experimental maximum loads divided by the square root forcement, this is also due to the indirect effects of the
of the concrete compressive strength (Pu,reJ, which alternative shear transfer mechanisms (dowel effect and
probably overestimates the influence of concrete on crack friction) and to the greater efficiency of stirrups in
strength behaviour. In the beams without stirrups, de- such a situation. This advantage, however, was not ex-
spite the nominal 4% reduction in strength, there is also tended to the beams without stirrups, where failure
an increase in the VU,r,lvalue (3.4O/0). occurred soon after formation of the diagonal crack.
Since there was a practically constant strength in- The observations on cracking were confirmed by the
crease in all the beams except in those without stirrups, analysis of deflections (shown in Fig. 5). Deflection was
i.e. between 8 and 10 kN, the contribution of fibers can smaller in all the fiber reinforced beams except those
be considered equivalent to a fraction of the shear re- without stirrups. Steel fiber showed the best perfor-
inforcement. The performance of beam V9 confirms the mance. All the load-deflection curves show three distinct
possibility of an advantageous partial substitution of phases, with the linear stage longer in the prestressed
stirrups for fibers. beams in every case.
In the first six beams, the closer spaced flexure cracks None of the beams showed longitudinal reinforce-
occurred in the fiber reinforced beams. The influence of ment yielding. Deformations on the shear span pre-
fibers on first crack strength was not observed. dicted by considering only bending moments were
S. Furlun Jhnior, J. Bento de Hanai I Cement & Concrete Composites 21 (1999) 213-221 219
60 -
60-
, As;0
&O
0
-n- Vl
--o--v2 0
3 --o--v2
A V3 ,b
z
A V3
- v- v4
- v- v4
o- v5
o- vs
i-- V6
+ V6
x v7
x v7
--N-- V6
-IN-- V6
--- v9
--- v9
0 10 20 30 40 0 1 2 3 4
deflection (mm)
strain (mm / m)
Fig. 5. Load-deflection curves.
Fig. 6. Strain in the strands (points A3-A4).
x
0 V
-O-VI 12 -
5-
--o--v2 / -O-VI
0 ,,, %
A V3 I --o--v2
lo- A V3 0
- v- v4
4- p p
o- v5 z+ . - v- v4 I
o- v5 i ti P
F _ --+ V6 i O
d ; 6- I
x v9 ~+- V6 dt
70: $ :I+ 6
2 3- 0 g -
! , x v9
q , A v d Go+
5 _ .z 6
lri 0 A A F; x
.E !,
o i
E 2 I z
A ?
rl 4
g* _ _,oob ff
I I I I I * I I
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 60 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Fig. 7. (a) Strains in the stirrups at the points E3-E4. (b) Strain in the stirrups at the points E9-ElO.
stirrups, but eventually diminished with loading. Pre- The crack spacing in fiber reinforced concrete beams
stress and fibers were responsible for the larger contri- is smaller and its development is slower, particularly
bution of the concrete, which is normally considered in the case of steel fibers. Deflections are consequent-
smaller than the strength of a similar beam without ly smaller. Fibers are also responsible for the larger
stirrups. number of inclined cracks prior to the beam collapse.
Strain in the stirrups on the polypropylene fiber re- Prestressing increases the elastic-linear stage, but
inforced beams was higher than in the steel fiber beams. contrary to what the fibers can do, it does not extend
The contribution of polypropylene fiber was significant the stage between diagonal cracking and shear fail-
while the alternative mechanisms still exerted effective ure. The appearance of inclined cracks is retarded
action, due to improved crack control. However, in the and consequently the stirrups are tensioned later. Pre-
area of diagonal cracks, the action of this fiber as shear stressing decreases the slope of the compression struts
reinforcement was limited, due to the very low modulus and increases the extent of the non-cracked area.
of elasticity, which justifies the higher strains in the Fiber effectiveness is higher in beams with stirrups. In
stirrups closest to the supports. Even so, the strength of all the fiber reinforced beams failure was more ductile
these beams was always greater than in the beams and there was increased strength, always between 8
without fibers, because of the energy required for pull- and 10 kN. The fibers can be considered as an equiv-
out of the fibers. In the case of steel fiber, reduction of alent shear reinforcement. In this aspect, the advan-
strain in the stirrups is due to the higher stiffness of the tages provided by steel and polypropylene fibers
steel fibers that limit deformation at the cracks. Less were similar, but the strain in the stirrups in steel fiber
energy is required for pull-out, since the quantity of beams was smaller.
fibers that cross the cracks is smaller. Prestressing also increases shear strength (regardless
Regardless of the type of fiber, limitation of cracking of the ratio of shear reinforcement, provided there
improves the performance of the beams because it in- is no longitudinal reinforcement yielding), but in a
creases the contribution of alternative shear strength more significant manner than the fiber addition.
mechanisms. The influence of prestressing on beams with reduced
ratios of shear reinforcement is equivalent to the
decompression of the analyzed section.
4. Conclusions The contribution of the concrete to shear strength
can decrease with the load increase. The value of this
. The addition of fibers does not increase the compres- contribution increases with fibers and prestressing.
sive strength of concrete, but it can increase tensile Contribution values close to the ones observed in
strength in some cases. The modulus of elasticity similar beams without stirrups have been recorded.
of concrete can be altered with the introduction of Calculation of the strain in longitudinal reinforce-
fibers. ments resulting from flexure stresses underestimates
S. Furlan Jtinior, J. Bento de Honai I Cement & Concrete Composites 21 (1999) 213-221 221
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