RCAAP Repository

Abstract Most of the engineering problems involving structural elements of steel-concrete composite beam type are approximations of the structural problem involving concrete plates connected by connectors to steel beams. Technical standards allow the replacement of the concrete plate element by a beam element by adopting a reduction in the width of the plate element known as effective width. The effective width is obtained, in most technical norms, taking into account only the parameters of beam span length and distance between adjacent beams. Numerical and experimental works found in the literature show that this effective width depends on several other parameters, such as the width and thickness of the concrete slab, and the type of loading. The objective of this work is to verify the influence of the partial interaction in the evaluation of the effective width of composite beams formed by a concrete slab connected to a steel beam with deformable connection, being used in numerical simulation three types of finite elements: a plate element for nonlinear analysis of the concrete slab; a bar element for non-linear analysis of beams with cross-section defined by a polygon; and an interface element which connects the plate and beam elements, simulating the deformation effect of the shear connectors. In the studied examples, it was found that the reduction of the shear connection stiffness at the interface between the concrete slab and the steel beam leads to a decrease in the shear lag effect and, consequently, makes the effective width of the concrete slab closer to the its real width. In another example, curves are constructed to define the effective width of a composite beam with medium stiffness. Considering maximum stresses and maximum displacements, these curves are obtained by forcing the equivalence of the approximate model with the model closest to the real problem.

Abstract The present work consists in obtaining correlation curves between compressive tests and sclerometry tests from an extensive experimental program comprising 630 concrete cylindrical samples cast in laboratory, employing materials and methods available in Brazil. The concretes, with compressive strengths ranging from 20~MPa to 50~MPa, were submitted to sclerometry tests and mechanical compressive tests. The results were used to obtain correlation curves. which were adopted in measurements of structural elements molded in a construction site, indicating that the curves provided by the equipment manufacturer are not suitable for the material in study. This is the first stage of a broader study aiming to contribute to the improvement of the Brazilian code regulating the application of the sclerometry to obtain concrete compressive strength.

Abstract This work is based on an experimental investigation of reinforced concrete beams strengthened to flexure for wrapping applying a type of metallic connector in the bond substrate/groute. The experimental program consisted of 5 beams used for reference (without strengthening), 5 beams reinforced with surface brushed texture substrate and 5 beams with metal connectors bonded to the substrate. The beams were submitted to four-point load bending test. Initially with a partial loading, executed the strengthening and were finally tested until the break. The strengthening was made up by the increase by graute, on the sides and bottom of the beam and reinforcing. The applied force, the displacement, deformations in steel and in concrete were measured. The reference beams failure by flexing with the calculated charges. The bending strengthening proved efficient, increasing the bearing capacity in 44% and the failure was by shear in the stretch without strengthening. Beams with connectors the increase was higher.

Abstract Conventional structural analysis of buildings in reinforced concrete is performed considering beam-column connections as rigid. However, experimental results prove the existence of relative rotations in beam-column connections of reinforced concrete structures, showing the partial transfer of bending moment. In this study the influence of the stiffness of beam-column connections on the global stability and in the column bending moments of buildings in reinforced concrete was investigated. A building was designed with rigid connections and deformable connections to identify the importance of considering the influence of the stiffness of the beam-column connections in the overall stability of monolithic and in the redistribution efforts in reinforced concrete structures. In order to determine the stiffness rotation of deformable connections, two analytical models available in literature were used, and a comparison between the results obtained by each analytical model was also performed. Based on the results, it is concluded that neglecting the influence of the stiffness of the beam-column connections on the analysis of monolithic reinforced concrete structures may result in different solutions compared to the real behavior of the structure. The stiffness values obtained with the analytical models usually differ from the condition of rigid connections, suggesting an adjustment on the standard consideration of rigid connections adopted by the computer programs of structural calculation.

Abstract Among the processes that involve the degradation of concrete structures subject to the high temperatures of a fire there is the spalling phenomenon. Its mechanisms are related to the thermal stress of the materials dilatations and pore pressure the process of vaporization of water during heating. The factors that influences in its occurrence are related to concrete properties, structural member characteristics or the exposure conditions, and their parameters are not clearly known yet. This paper aimed to study the influence of three concrete mixtures, four coating thicknesses and two bars diameters of longitudinal reinforcement in the spalling phenomena exposed to ISO 834 fire curve. The characterization of concrete were performed either of the axial compression strength tests, water absorption by capillary and mercury intrusion porosimetry, besides the fire resistance tests in real-scale specimens. It was concluded that the diameter of the bar does not have influence, while the mixture and the concrete cover thickness does. More spalling was recorded for the columns with thicker concrete cover and concrete compressive strength at 61,9 MPa, and although higher strength concrete have less permeability, this characteristic can be balanced with the higher tensile strength of this type of concrete.

Abstract The bare steel structural members have a low fire resistance. However, in steel and concrete composite members, the concrete encasement, besides the contribution to the stiffness of the whole system, reduces the amount of heat that reaches the steel profile, increasing the its fire resistance. The aim of this paper is to conduct a numerical study on the behavior of steel and steel and concrete composite columns in fire, in order to compare their performance based on the variation of parameters such as the stiffness of the surrounding structure, geometric imperfection and load ratio. It has been found that, in general, the intensity of the geometric imperfection and stiffness of the surrounding structure does not affect the fire resistance of steel and composite columns. However, the stiffness of the surrounding structure raised the maximum value of the restraining forces generate throughout the heating. Regarding the load ratio, when increased, the fire resistance and critical temperature decreased.

Abstract Quarries have invested in equipment to increase production and improve the quality of their products, such as vertical shaft impact crushers (VSI). This type of crusher works with autogenous comminution of the material to improve the shape of the coarse aggregates. However, there are few studies about the influence of crushers in the shape of fine aggregate grains. In this context, gneiss and granite fine crushed aggregates, produced in cone crushers and VSI were studied. Parameters such as coefficient of volumetric shape, aspect ratio, and circularity were used to compare these aggregates with the river sand. The results showed that there is a difference between the shape of the sand river and the fine crushed aggregates. Among the crushed aggregates, those from the VSI showed improvements in grain shape, compared to aggregates from cone crushers. However, this improvement decreases with the reduction of grain size. Mortars produced with the studied aggregates were also evaluated. It was verified their influence on the consistency, the air content and compressive strength at 28 days. For the study in the mortar, the crushed aggregates were separated in fractions by sieving and composed to obtain the same granulometric distribution for all the aggregates. The mortars made with the crushing aggregates from the VSI showed higher fluidity, lower air content and higher compressive strength when compared to the crushed aggregates produced in the cone crusher.

Abstract This article presents a study on the reliability of internal column-slab connection under punching, designed according to the Brazilian Standard NBR 6118:2014. The evaluation of reliability was made by comparing the reliability index β with the target reliability index recommended by the fib Model Code 2010. The reliability indexes were calculated through statistical analysis of the data obtained with numerical simulations using the Monte Carlo method, with Latin Hypercube sample, through ANSYS software. The results showed that, for most slabs, the indexes of reliability β presented satisfactory results. However, some of the tested slabs presented results below the assumed limits. Therefore, this article suggests that the Brazilian Standard NBR 6118:2014 is appropriate for most flat slabs without shear reinforcement.

Abstract This work was conducted to evaluate the hardening phenomenon of pastes formulated with Portland cements blended with limestone filler (CPIIF), ground blast furnace slag (CPIIE) or pozzolan (CPIIZ). Vicat test, isothermal conduction calorimetry and oscillatory rheometry were the methods used to monitor this transition. The results of Vicat test indicates the faster setting time of pozzolan cement, but no information before this time was obtained. Using isothermal calorimetry was possible to monitor the related changes to the chemical reactions since the first contact with water, and using rheometry, the rate and force of cement particles agglomeration. The main purpose of this work was not extensively explain the results of these three methods, but show that they are complementary to better explain the transition from fluid-to-solid behavior in function of different kind of mineral addition.

Abstract This paper presents an experimental study with numerical modeling of Crestbond shear connectors in concrete filled tube columns. The Crestbond, which consists in a steel plate with regular cuttings, was originally conceived for composite beams and is now being proposed as an alternative device for load introduction and shear transfer at the steel-concrete interface in concrete filled tube columns. The results achieved in this work were very favorable to the new application proposed for the connector as high values of shear strength were obtained. Moreover, the numerical and experimental results enabled comparative analysis and investigations regarding the influence of concrete conditions and the geometry of the column section on the mechanical properties of the connector.

Abstract Ribbed slabs have been widely used in buildings due to their many advantages, especially the decrease of concrete below the neutral line. This paper presents an experimental and computational study on ribbed slabs with wide-beam, two one-way slabs and two two-way slabs, with variable depths were tested to evaluate their resistance to punching and shear strength of slabs. Experimental and computational results showed that the wide-beam ribs connection is a critical point in the design of the slabs due to the difference in stiffness in the transition zone. Best results for the ultimate load estimates for ribs were provided by EC 2 (2004), while estimates of ACI 318 (2008) and NBR 6118 (2014) were respectively conservative and unsafe. Test results on slabs also revealed that the Brazilian alternative to analysis ribbed slabs as solid ones failed to give satisfactory results.

Abstract This paper carries out a design analysis of reinforced concrete beams with steel fibers following the fib Model Code 2010 (MC 2010) procedures. The values obtained from the design calculations are compared with the experimental results of reinforced concrete beams with 20kg/m3 and 60 kg/m3 of steel fibers submitted to four-point bending tests. In the first part, the procedures for the classification and characterization of the material are explained. The experimental results of three-point bending tests performed on notched steel fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) beams following EN 14651 procedures are described. Moreover, the characterization of the FRC beams according to MC 2010, are carried out. In the second part, the flexural design of reinforced concrete beams with steel fibers, according to MC 2010, is carried out. A sectional analysis is performed in order to obtain the moment-curvature and the force-vertical displacement curves. The theoretical values are compared with the experimental results. Besides, a linear statistic analysis by means of the Rule of Mixture is carried out in order to analyze the variation of the flexural capacity of the reinforced beams with different amounts of steel fibers. The results demonstrated that the design rules described in the MC 2010 are on the safe side. The flexural resistance of concretes with different amounts of fiber incorporation can be determined by the Rule of Mixture, which has shown a high correlation factor (R2) with the experimental values.

Abstract For the range of medium spans, around 30 to 40m, composite footbridges are getting popular in Brazil. This kind of structure consists on longitudinal steel truss beams providing support for a concrete deck usually made of precast elements. Typical examples of these structures may be found in many cities in Brazil, especially in Brasilia where a large number of highways demanded a significant set of footbridges. Due to the amount of this kind of composite footbridges in Brazil, studies concerning their mechanical behavior are required in order to ensure pedestrian’s safety. For this end, in this paper, a typical Brazilian composite footbridge located in Brasilia is analyzed by means of experimental tests and computational modeling. The focus is the determination of natural frequencies and mode shapes. Strategies to correctly obtain the vertical modes are also discussed since vertical vibration is the main vibration problem expected for the tested footbridge. The obtained results showed that structural balance between stiffness and mass leads to natural frequencies out of the critical frequency range excited by pedestrians in normal use, although the idea was not to measure how these parameters, mass or stiffness, could influence the model. Moreover, Finite Element models were evaluated comparing complexity versus accuracy to predict modal parameters.

Abstract The average strain on a building due to the action of the wind, can be significantly altered when considering the presence of one or more neighboring buildings. Such changes can be considered through the use of coefficients that take into account the distance that the neighboring building is from the building being studied. The present work was developed in order to verify the values currently adopted by the Brazilian standard that regulates the wind action in buildings. With the use of a wind tunnel, several tests were carried out in a standardized building considering the presence of other buildings with similar dimensions close to it. The distances between the buildings, the quantity and the layout of the neighboring buildings were taken into consideration. It was possible to conclude that, in general, the presence of the neighboring buildings produced an increase on the strain. Interference, in many situations, increased strain above the rates suggested by the current Brazilian wind action standard.

Abstract Sulfate attack is a term used to describe a series of chemical reactions between sulfate ions and hydrated compounds of the hardened cement paste. Thus, the chemical composition of the binders used is important for the durability of the structure against this aggressive agent. The objective of the present research is to evaluate the influence of sodium and magnesium sulfates on physical properties (linear expansion, flexure tensile strength, and compressive strength) of mortars composed by SR cement (CP V - ARI RS), as commercially sold in Brazil. The results indicate that SR cement complies the requirements established by Brazilian standards, as to chemical composition and resistance to sodium sulfate. However, for magnesium sulfate, SR cement was harmful to mortars mainly in mechanical.

Abstract This paper presents a study of the effects caused by soil-structure interaction in reinforced concrete wall building on shallow foundation. It was verified the influence of displacements of supports on the redistribution of internal forces in the structural walls and in the redistribution of loads on the foundation. The superstructure was represented by shell finite elements and the soil-structure interaction was evaluated by iterative methods that consider the stiffness of the building, the soil heterogeneity and the group effect of foundation elements. An alternative model that considers the soil-structure interaction is adopted and the concrete walls are simulated by bar elements. The results indicate that the soil-structure interaction produces significant changes of the stress flow, with larger influences on the lower walls, as well as a tendency of settlements standardization and load migration to supports with smaller settlements.

Abstract Steel fibers in reinforced concrete increase the performance of slab-column connection once they increase ductility and energy absorption capacity of the concrete. The use of fibers in flat slabs may increase strength and change the mode of failure. The objective of this work is to present an experimental evaluation of punching shear strength of reinforced concrete flat slab with steel fibers and punching shear reinforcement. Eight square slabs, size 1800 mm by 1800 mm by 130mm, were loaded until failure by punching shear around the column. The models were divided in two groups, depending on the type of the concrete used (with or without steel fibers). The steel fiber volume used in the slabs of second group was of 0.9%. Each group was composed of four slabs: one without shear reinforcement and three with shear reinforcement (studs) distributed radially around the column. The use of steel fibers increased the ultimate strength of all flat slabs. In one of the slabs, the association of steel fibers with shear reinforcement changed the failure surface from outside to inside the punching shear reinforcement region.

Abstract This paper describes the parametric analysis applied to assess the influence of column anchorage-reinforcement length on concrete two-pile caps under uniform compression. The non-linear numerical analysis was conducted with the bi-dimensional elements of ATENA 2D software, considering perfect adherence between steel and concrete. Simulation was based on the experimental reference model by Munhoz [1], which was the parameter adopted to validate the numerical modeling. From the validated model, four different anchorage reinforcement lengths were adopted, 34,0 cm, 20,0 cm, 10,0 cm e 3,0 cm, in order to compare pile caps behavior after these changes. Pile cap simulations presented similar behavior, i.e., column anchorage reinforcement length is not a preponderant factor for the internal mechanisms that regulate the function of these elements.

Abstract Pervious concrete may be used for stormwater management since it allows the water to pass through its interconnected macropores into stormwater systems or soils below. However, there is a need for additional standards related to pervious concrete prior to its widespread use, and there are many aspects related to mix design for desired properties, compaction methods, and test procedures that are not yet completely understood. These variables may significantly affect the functional and mechanical performance of the material. In this paper, mix designs and test specimen preparation techniques were evaluated. The IBRACON method for mixture design was used to obtain the mixture proportions and the calculated density for the desired porosity of 25%. In addition, two different types of specimens (cast or cored) and compaction methods (roller or Proctor hammer compacted) were performed. The density of each specimen was controlled to obtain the same calculated density. Several tests were conducted to compare the following variables: density, porosity, surface infiltration rate, permeability and compressive strength. Additionally, the effects of mortar capping versus neoprene-rubber caps on compressive strength measurements of pervious concrete were evaluated. The experimental results showed that cast specimens have more consistent results than cores. The design method studied with strict control of density was efficient to obtain the desired porosity mainly for cast specimens. The roller leads to a more compacted top surface resulting in a decrease in the infiltration rate and permeability of the cores. The mortar capping method is more consistent than the other.

Abstract In the research program both longitudinal and transverse ultrasonic waves were applied to concrete specimens under uniaxial compression and tensile diametrical compression. A total of 45 concrete specimens with five (5) different mixes were loaded until failure. While load was being applied - in compression and split tension - ultrasonic pulses were recorded and velocities calculated for both shear and pressure waves. The results indicate that longitudinal or transverse ultrasonic waves can be applied in the evaluation of diffuse damage (microcracking in uniaxial compression) or concentrated damage (tensile microcracking by diametrical compression) imposed on the concrete mechanically through the application of loads.