Abstract
The objective of this research is to provide flexural test results that are applicable to the actual strengthening design of reinforced concrete (RC) beams by investigating the flexural capacities of RC beams strengthened with unbonded high-strength bars. The advantages of the proposed strengthening method are the speed and simplicity of installation. Additionally, it is possible to acquire strengthened performance without skilled workers. A set of ten laboratory tests on RC beams strengthened with high-strength bars and unstrengthened RC beams as the control group were performed. The main test parameters are the diameter of high-strength bar and the ratio of tension reinforcement. The equivalent tension reinforcement ratio of the high-tension bars to the strength ratio of rebars is also considered. The test result indicates that the maximum strain of the high-strength bars pretensioned with 40% yield strain exceeds the nominal yield strain of high-strength bars. The deflection ratio of the strengthened RC beam within the serviceability limit state was less than 54% in comparison with that of unreinforced beams. Thus, it is possible to simplify the design equation by using the equivalent tension reinforcement ratio.
| Original language | English |
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| Pages (from-to) | 137-147 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Magazine of Concrete Research |
| Volume | 62 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1 Feb 2010 |