In this article, the cyclic performance of an innovative precast beam-to-column connection is evaluated experimentally and numerically. Two full-scale beam-column cross-shape interior connection specimens named PF-1 and PF-2 are tested. By adding extra nuts to the connecting bolts, specimen PF-2 behaves in a more shear-dominant pattern and shows less pinching. Comparison of performance of these specimens with the numerical monolithic model in terms of stiffness, strength, ductility and energy dissipation capacity indicates the proposed system can provide conditions close to the monolithic connection. However, to reduce the pinching drawback, a minor modification was made leading to performance improvements in strength and equivalent viscous damping ratio up to 51 % and 29 % respectively. The results of this study have direct industrial relevance and may be used for the development of reliable seismic guidelines for precast concrete structures.

The precast shear wall structure has outstanding features for green buildings due to its construction convenience, safety, high quality and low pollution. In general, precast concrete shear walls are connected by multiple joints. The joint between precast walls has very strong influence on the whole structure, which calls for more detailed investigation. A new kind of connection - the joint connecting beam - was developed to connect the vertical reinforcement in precast concrete shear wall structures. This innovative connecting method has the advantages of convenient operation and saving steel. To evaluate the performance and for better application of the joint connecting beam, an experiment on seven full-scale specimens was conducted under cyclic loading, including two cast-in-situ walls and five precast walls with varying reinforcement and sectional heights of the joint connecting beam. A comparison was performed between cast-in-situ walls and precast walls with joint connecting beam, focusing on failure mode, hysteretic curve, skeleton curve, bearing capacity, ductility and energy-dissipating capacity. The results show that the joint connecting beam can effectively transfer the load of precast walls, especially for squat precast walls. Moreover, finite element models were developed to simulate the performance of the specimens. The simulation results agree well with experimental results.

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In this paper, the behaviour of RC slab strips subjected to transverse loads and axial tensile forces is investigated by means of analytical and numerical simulations. The results obtained are compared to the experimental results from tests performed at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH). The prediction of the structural response was part of an international benchmark study [1]. The aim of the paper is to investigate the capability of the adopted models and their main influencing parameters, especially from the perspective of a reliable structural robustness assessment. It is known that in some cases axial tensile forces have a beneficial effect on the bearing capacity of slab strips, thanks to the development of catenary actions. Such hidden strength resources are usually not taken into account in the current design process. For this reason, validation of suitable numerical tools, able to properly predict the structural response, is useful for a reliable structural robustness assessment. The paper underlines the importance of benchmark development, especially for specimens, in which both mechanical and geometrical nonlinearities play an important role.

A simplified mechanical model is presented for the shear strength prediction of reinforced and prestressed concrete members with and without transverse reinforcement, with I, T or rectangular cross-section. The model, derived with further simplifications from a previous one developed by the authors, incorporates the contributions of the concrete compression chord, the cracked web, the dowel action and the shear reinforcement in a compact formulation. The mechanical character of the model provides valuable information about the physics of the problem and incorporates the most relevant parameters governing the shear strength of structural concrete members. The predictions of the model fit very well the experimental results collected in the ACI-DAfStb databases of shear tests on slender reinforced and prestressed concrete beams with and without stirrups. Due to this fact and the simplicity of the derived equations it may become a very useful tool for structural design and assessment in engineering practice.

Eleven T-beams, reinforced with high strength steel, were tested to failure to investigate the effect of shear span to depth ratio, fibre ratio, fibre type, concrete strength and stirrup ratio on the shear behaviour, especially post-cracking shear strength and deformability, of ultra-high performance fibre reinforced concrete (UHPFRC) beams. Test results indicated that fibres were efficient not only in enhancing the post-cracking shear strength, but also in improving the post-cracking deformability of UHPFRC beams. In addition, fibres could bridge the cracks and help in redistributing and homogenizing the concrete stress beside the cracks, allowing more short fine diagonal shear cracks with small spacing to develop around the existing cracks. A moderate amount of stirrups can effectively restrain shear cracks and allow more parallel diagonal shear cracks to develop and propagate thoroughly within the shear span. The stiffness of the UHPFRC beams at ultimate state was about 50 % of initial beam stiffness, which was considerable in strength calculations and ductility analysis, especially in seismic performance evaluation. Lastly, the current shear provisions were evaluated using the experimental results.

The punching shear design provisions according to various codes have been derived from the results of tests conducted on centrically loaded flat slabs. The application of these provisions for footings and ground slabs might lead to inconsistent results since more compact dimensions and soil-structure interaction lead to higher punching shear capacities. In this context, Eurocode 2 introduced a new design equation for column bases, which was derived from the evaluation of test results from centrically loaded footings.
Since centrically loaded footings represent an exception in practice, Eurocode 2 and ACI 318-14 consider load eccentricities by increasing the applied load, while the fib Model Code 2010 proposes a reduced length of the control perimeter to determine the punching shear resistance. The different approaches were derived from the evaluation of tests on eccentrically loaded flat slabs and have not been verified for footings yet.
Theoretical and experimental investigations on the punching shear behaviour of eccentrically loaded footings indicate a reduction of the multi-axial stress state along the column face with increasing load eccentricity. Based on punching tests on eccentrically loaded footings described in literature, non-linear finite-element simulations were performed and subsequently the influence of load eccentricities on the punching shear behaviour was examined in parametric studies. In this article, the results of the numerical simulations are presented and compared to experimental results and various code provisions.

In the past few years, the use of carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) has increased, because of their high strength, in concrete elements such as shear walls. In this study, the behaviour of a shear wall strengthened with different layout configurations of CFRP under lateral loading was investigated. For this purpose, a model is first verified in laboratory work, then in the next step the models were analysed by increasing the number of fibre layers and the effect of fibre layers on shear wall capacity was studied. Sliding between fibres and concrete was neglected. Also the effect of increasing the concrete strength of a reinforced concrete (RC) wall on CFRP strengthening was studied. In all models, comparisons were made between the results of CFRP configurations in increasing lateral strength and also ductility. Finally, by comparing the results, the best fibre configuration was determined based on the maximum load capacity.

The paper presents an experimental research project that focused on analysing the short-term residual mechanical properties of lightweight concrete after exposure to temperatures of up to 600 °C and the effects of the short-term residual mechanical properties on the post-fire loadbearing capacity of different concrete sections. The experimental programme was conducted on four different concrete mixes by determining the mechanical properties immediately after cooling and up to 96 h after cooling. The following properties were investigated: compressive strength, ultrasonic pulse velocity and stress-strain curves. The results show that the compressive strength undergoes an additional reduction in comparison to the initial residual strength (0 h property) of up to 20 % in the reference time period. A numerical study is presented at the end of the paper in order to quantify the effects of the short-term strength reduction on the axial loadbearing capacity of slender and stocky concrete columns.

The paper discusses the effect of aging on steel fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC) after 10 years. The aim is to observe the change in mechanical properties, especially of the residual post-cracking tensile strength, due to long-term aging. For this purpose, a comparison between the results of four-point bending tests (4PB) at the age of 1 year and 10 years was carried out and it indicates that aging affects the serviceability post-cracking residual strength, increasing fibre interfacial bond strength. Material classification is performed according to fib Model Code 2010 for 1-year old and 10-year old specimens. The objective is to estimate possible changes in the material class through the years. Three- and four-point bending test results on 10-year old specimens are described, together with a comparison between those tests. Both tests showed very similar results; slightly higher values were obtained with the three-point bending (3PB) test. The tensile constitutive law is obtained according to fib Model Code 2010 and is compared with results of direct tensile tests on cylindrical specimens and Double Edge Wedge Splitting tests on prismatic specimens. A plane section (PS) approach adopting the tensile constitutive law is applied to predict the bending behaviour in terms of nominal stress against crack mouth opening displacement and it is compared with the bending test results.

The correlations among selected parameters of concrete were investigated for concrete mixes of the strength classes C20/25, C25/30, C30/37, C40/50 and C50/60. The focus was laid on correlations between basic mechanical parameters such as compressive strength, tensile strength and modulus of elasticity as well as parameters related to concrete fracture, represented here by specific fracture energy. Laboratory tests examining the fracture behaviour and mechanical properties were carried out in order to determine the fundamental concrete parameters. In particular, standard compression tests on test cubes and three-point bending tests on beams with central edge notch were performed. Additional material parameters were identified using the inverse analysis technique. Finally, correlation factors between different parameters of concrete were identified using the rank-order correlation method.

Concrete construction is becoming increasingly complex and the importance of producing structures that are both cost effective and durable in the long term has never been higher. Therefore, an understanding of concrete durability is considered fundamental to determine the service life of new or existing structures. However, at present a significant number of existing concrete structures and bridges have already been deteriorated by a chemo-mechanical process known as Delayed Ettringite Formation (DEF). This phenomenon causes expansion of the affected concrete, generally leading to cracking and a decrease of its mechanical properties. The disease or deterioration mechanism therefore induces serious problems regarding serviceability, sustainable operation and structural integrity, which makes it necessary to apply predictive models able to re-assess the mechanical state of the affected structures. In this way, chemo-mechanical modelling must be performed considering the influence of humidity, stiffness reduction and stress in the development of expansion.
The elaborated 3D model was applied to an existing viaduct affected by DEF. The displacements and stresses were computed based on the experimental data obtained from the in-situ measurements. The computed results highlight the relationship between the saturation degree and the expansion. Finally, comparisons between different calculations with and without considering the anisotropy of expansion and stiffness reduction are presented and discussed.

Concrete has become the most used material on Earth over the 200 years following the invention of modern cement. The design concept has undergone a transition from the allowable-stress design method, limit-state design method, to the performance-based design method, in response to the evolution of materials, sophistication of experimental facilities, and advancement of computation skills. From the issues on resources and energy depletion, global warming, and resilience etc., it is necessary to create a new design framework taking into consideration the required performance beyond the conventional concept, in order to construct infrastructure and buildings in a more rational way. In other words, we should construct a design system that sets the continued existence of the diverse and rich global environment as its most important criterion of value. In this paper, we review the design and technology system developed in the past and discuss it based on the above-mentioned new viewpoint, while constructing and presenting a new design system for concrete structures, focusing mainly on the concept of sustainability, which is regarded as the most important factor in achieving conservation of Earth's rich resources as well as sound socio-economic activities of humankind in the future, and we examine its feasibility.

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This paper describes the design and construction of the concrete structures of the Corinthians Arena built for the 2014 World Cup. Due to many constraints, the structure was designed, essentially, with prefabricated structural concrete members, some specific elements were designed with structural concrete cast in situ, and some areas, with special construction problems, were designed with composite steel-concrete structures.

The paper presents a description of the construction elements of the Gdynia Seaport main hall dome. Firstly, it provides information about the technical condition of the dome's structure. Secondly, it examines the strength analysis of the thin-walled reinforced concrete dome covering. Throughout the last 80 years the building has been exposed to an unfavourable marine climate. The analysis of the state of stress and deformations of several construction elements was carried out using a special model worked out with help of the FEM considering the combination of loads: deadweight, wind and snow, as well as the additional combination: deadweight and hurricane wind of velocity 200 km/h(55.5 m/s). The computed results of static quantities were also obtained according to F. Dischinger's method, which was used in design of the RC Gdynia Seaport dome in 1932. The computational analysis and the assessment of the technical state made it possible to make a decision concerning further safe operation of the building.
To sum up, it can be concluded that the results obtained with the FEM analysis, together with the analysis of the technical state of the 80-year-old dome, made it possible to carry out an assessment of the factor of safety of the dome's reinforced concrete elements. That in turn made it possible to come to a decision on the possibility of its further operation without causing any major local damage. What is more, it confirmed that it was permissible to construct a new dome after the tearing-down of the old one.

A performance-based safety factor durability design format is proposed and developed with respect to carbonation of concrete. Deemed-to-satisfy rules based on a partial safety factor design approach are developed for the carbonation of concrete. This design format follows the design procedure proposed in EN 1990 [1]. For the design format, the limit state equation for the carbonation is introduced in its probabilistic and safety factor format. The PSF approach has been used to derive design charts. Values for minimum concrete cover depending on material resistance and exposure class are proposed for critical environmental conditions and a design service life of 50 years.

The influences of naphthalene-based plasticizers and polycarboxylate acid/salt superplasticizers on the creep of concrete, including basic creep and drying creep, were investigated. The internal relative humidity and pore structure of concrete and the surface tension of the pore solution were tested. The results show that polycarboxylate acid/salt superplasticizers refine capillary pores in concrete and reduce the surface tension of the pore solution, and also restrain internal moisture transmission and redistribution. As a result, creep of the concrete is reduced. Compared with naphthalene-based plasticizer, polycarboxylate acid/salt superplasticizer causes a greater reduction of drying creep, but a smaller reduction of basic creep. This is because the moisture redistribution is quite feeble and quickly balanced in a sealed condition. Concrete with polycarboxylate acid/salt superplasticizer has the lowest creep value because polycarboxylate acid/salt superplasticizer improves the degree of hydration and reduces the porosity of macro pores.

To meet the growing challenges of sustainability, it is necessary to control and anticipate the cracking problems of structures under sustained loadings. At the structural level, very little information is available regarding the combined effect of SFRC and reinforcement under sustained flexural loading. This paper presents the results of four flexural creep tests on large steel fibre-reinforced concrete beams reinforced with fibres only or in combination with unbonded/bonded prestressing strands or traditional reinforcing bars. The main objective was to assess the influence of the reinforcement type on crack propagation, crack openings and compliance evolution in SFRC under sustained loading. The results show that the driving mechanism behind crack propagation is the same for all beams, regardless of reinforcement type, and is therefore governed by type of fibre concrete.

This paper presents a procedure for designing precast tunnel segments for mechanically excavated tunnel linings in fibre-reinforced concrete, without any traditional steel reinforcement. Both ultimate and serviceability limit states are considered as well as structural checks at different construction stages of the segment, including demoulding, positioning on floor, storage, transportation, handling and the final stage concerning the loads due to the ground pressure.
The structural checks are performed by means of bending moment-axial force interaction envelopes for both the considered limit states, once the constitutive relationship of the material is defined for each stage. Traditional interaction envelopes are drawn for the ultimate limit state check, whereas for the serviceability limit state check, envelopes obtained by limiting the maximum crack opening and maximum concrete compressive stress are proposed. The shear action is also accounted for by reducing the bending moment-axial force envelope. The possibility of having the assistance of a test procedure for particular loading situations is also proposed. Finally, a case study related to a precast steel fibre-reinforced concrete segment is analysed in order to clarify the procedure and show, practically, how to define the actions and evaluate the interaction envelopes.

Textile-reinforced concrete (TRC) is a combination of small-grain high-performance concrete (HPC) and high-strength textile reinforcement. TRC enables thin layers and has high tensile and compressive strengths. In this paper, TRC was used for the face layers and combined with a core of lightweight expanded polystyrene concrete (EPC) to create lightweight sandwich beams without special joint reinforcement to connect the layers. The experimental testing of the loadbearing behaviour of this kind of sandwich beam, along with the influence of the shear span-to-depth ratio (a/d) as observed during three- and four-point bending tests, will be summarized. The failure behaviour of the sandwich beams is influenced by the shear span-to-depth ratio, the type of bending test and the tensile capacity of the TRC layer. A diagonal tension failure occurred in experimental beams with 2.6 ≤ a/d ≤ 5.2 in three-point bending tests and 3.1 ≤ a/d ≤ 4.1 in four-point tests. The shear strength of the beams could be conservatively estimated according to the current European standards.

This study examines the flexural behaviour of high-strength concrete (HSC) beams confined using an innovative steel strapping tensioning technique (SSTT) able to provide active confinement. Twelve over-reinforced HSC beams (fc &equals: 50 or 80 MPa) were designed to fail prematurely by concrete crushing at mid-span. The mid-span region of eight such beams was confined externally using the SSTT with different steel strap confinement ratios, the aim of which was to delay concrete crushing. The test results are discussed in terms of the failure modes, load-deflection response and the concrete and tensile reinforcement strains observed. Although the unconfined beams failed in a brittle manner with no post-peak deflection, the steel straps were very effective at enhancing the post-peak deformation of the SSTT-confined beams by up to 126 %. Moreover, for the beams tested in this study, the use of the SSTT led to failures after yielding of the tensile reinforcement. The proposed SSTT can be used to confine HSC elements where ductility is required.