The unloading curve shown in Fig.

5 is then assumed to be denned as a

modified form of Eq. 3, namely
r p J [in* I /ir\

Jc -/««- yzj^rjr (35)

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in which

(36)
>=E -E

£seo = ^ V W

Bc
x= ~ E"" (38)

and where Eu = initial modulus of elasticity at the onset of unloading and

is given by
E„ = bcEc (39)
where

*4^1 (40)
J CO

X
E °-5
c s l
=\^) - (41)

The coefficients a, b, and c in Eqs. 32, 40, and 41 were evaluated by trial
and error to give the "best fit" of the assumed stress-strain relation (Eq.
35) to selected experimental unloading curves. The experimental curves
used were taken from Karson and Jirsa (1969) and Sinha et al. (1964) for
unconfined concrete, and from Mander et al. (1984) for confined reinforced
concrete.
If strain reversal occurs from a reloading branch rather than the skeleton
curves as assumed, then the current level of plastic strain spl is still used.

Tensile Unloading
The effect of preloading in compression on the tension strength of
concrete has been investigated by Moria and Kaku (1975). Based on their
test results the assumed deterioration in tensile strength due to previous
compressive strain histories was idealized as shown in Fig. 6.
On unloading from the compressive branch, the tension strength be-
comes:

f,=f'U-er] E
(42)
\ cc/
If ep, < ECC. then/, = 0. Thus the stress-strain relation becomes
/, = Et(sc -epl) (43)
1815

J. Struct. Eng., 1988, 114(8): 1804-1826