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Journal of Highway and Transportation Research and Development

Vol.4,No.2(2009)57

Experimental Research on Fatigue Behavior of Reinforced

Concrete Reams Strengthened with HPFL under
Overloading Conditions *
SHANG Shouping

(IP!^^) *

* ,GAO Faqi (itj^in )2, LIU Wei (#IJ$|)1,LUO Yexiong {^^MY

(I. College of Civil Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha

Hunan

4IOOX2, China;

2. Central and Southern China Municipal Engineering Design & Research Institute. Wuhan

Hubei

43001 O.China)

Abstract: In order to study the fatigue behavior of RC beams strengthened with High Performance Ferrocement Laminates (HPFL) under
overloading conditions, static and fatigue experiments were conducted on two control beams and nine strengthened beams. The failure
mode, fatigue life, deflection and material strain under overloading conditions were analyzed. The result shows that (1) fatigue failure of
the beams subjected to overload starts with steel rupture at the bottom and the fatigue life is only between 327 000 and 668 000 while fatigue life of strengthened beams is greater than two million times in case of not overloading; (2) compared with the control specimen, the
fatigue life of strengthened beams is obviously extended and increased with the increase of steel mesh consumption; (3) after the same
number of cycles, the deflections, the strains of concrete and steels of four strengthened beams are lower than those of the control specimen. Debonding at the interface of HPFL and concrete is not observed because of shear pins planted at the end of the beams.
Key words: bridge engineering; experimental research; strengthening; overload;fatigue behavior

High Performance Ferrocement Laminate (HPFL) is a

Introduction

new type of inorganic composite material. This material is

At present, the phenomenon of large overloading trucks

mainly composed of Portland cement, mineral admixtures of

running on highway bridges is very severe. One reason is

HPC, concrete admixture and a small amount of organic fiber

that the road traffic transportation industry develops vigorous-

mixed with water and sand. HPFL has a series of advan-

ly in China. The axle loads of transport vehicles have im-

tages , such as high strength, small shrinkage and good bond-

proved greatly and traffic flow has been increasing year by

ing properties with concrete. Concrete components strength-

year. On the other hand, a mass of old bridges have gradual-

ened with HPFL have an effective increase in bearing capac-

ly become unsafe due to low standard load code and lack of

ity , stiffness, ductility, flame proof and crack resistance. The

maintenance and repair, especially those small and medium-

section sizes of components increase very little and this rein-

sized span bridges built before the 1 970 s and 1 980 s

forcement technique has a good economic benefit

. Com-

Overloading may produce wide cracks in reinforced concrete

pared with the CFRP reinforcement technique

, HPFL

bridge structures, leading to corrosion of reinforcement and

strengthening method enjoys advantages of easy construction,

reduction of durability. In addition, overloading increases the

economical and practical. Some scholars have researched

fatigue load level and amplitude, intensifies bridge damage

bending, shearing, high temperature resistant and fatigue per-

and may result in fatigue failure

. The idea of rebuilding

formances of beams strengthened with HPFL. Moreover, axial

the abovementioned old and dangerous bridges is neither sci-

compressing, eccentric compressive and seismic behaviors of

entific nor realistic. However,it is an effective way to recov-

HPFL strengthened columns were studied systematical-

er the bearing capacity and traffic capacity and to improve

ly

the service life by repairing them with appropriate reinforce-

the reinforcement of old bridges, especially to those medium

ment technologies^ ~

or small bridges, a fatigue experiment of beams strengthened

. With the purpose of safely applying this method to

Manuscript received July 12,2008

* Supported by Hunan Provincial Project for Science and Technology Development (No.06SK4057)
* E~ mail address : sps @ hnu. en

J. Highway Transp. Res. Dev. (English Ed.) 2010.4:57-61.

58

Journal of Highway and Transportation Research and Development

with HPFL under overloading conditions is carried out.

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forced with IF shape with a 20 mm layer thickness. The mix

proportion of HPFL is designed as cement: sand: admixture:

Experimental scheme

1.1

water = 1 " 2 " 0.17 ' 0.3. The admixture is HPPO II type for

Design of specimens

anti-cracking mortar. In order to be closer to the actual con-

All specimens share with a common section size of 150

ditions , static load is applied on all specimens to crack them

mm by 300 mm. The designed strength grade of concrete

with a width of 0.02 mm. To increase the bonding forces,

used in this trial is C25. The span and clear span are 2 400

shear dowels are bonded in the upper triangular area on both

mm and 2 200 mm. Each beam is designed with longitudinal

sides of the beam ends (see Fig. 1) . The shear dowels are

bars 3<J>18,hanger bars 2<8 and stirrups <2>6@100. Mate-

made of hot-rolled bars with a 4 mm diameter,600 mm deep

rial performance testing results are as shown in Tab. 1.

and 120 mm spacing. The exposed portions are folded up to

Tab. 1

Property of materials

L-shaped hook with a length of about 30 mm. Specimens

/e(MPa)

/cu(MPa)

/y(MPa)

/my(MPa)

38.1

29.0

378

329

grouping is shown in Tab. 2.

Transverse steel mesh Lognitudinal steel mesh
<f>6@100
'>' 6@50

Shear pins d> 6

/-

4V

Note: /m^-cube compression strength of composite mortar; /cu-cube compression strength of concrete; fy- yield strength of longitudinal bars; fmy- yield

strength of steel mesh.

1.2

Strengthening patterns

2 200 mm

.V

Technical data are shown in Tab. 1. Beams are reinFig. 1

Tab. 2

List of beams
C3

C4

fatigue

fatigue

fatigue

fatigue

50 x 100

50 x 100

50 x 100

50x100

50x100

Al

Strengthened

control

strengthened

control

pattern

beam

beam

beam

Loading mode

static

static

fatigue

fatigue

fatigue

fatigue

fatigue

50x100

30x60

30x60

50 x 100

steel mesh/mm
Number of shear pins

B3

C2

A0

Spacing of

B2

B4

Specimen number

Bl

Strengthened specimen
Cl

strengthened
beams

1.3 Loading scheme

The upper limit is defined as Pmax = 0.5Py = 64 kN and the

As fatigue test of specimens B0 ~ B4 is conducted un-

lower limit as Pm;n = 30 kN. The stress amplitude of longitu-

der overloading condition, the loading level and amplitude

dinal bars in beams Cl ~ C4 is estimated to be 76 MPa, low-

value are higher. In accordance with clause 5.7.3.4 of

er than the prescribed limit 125 MPa in Chinese specifica-

AASHTO

tions .

,the steel bar stress should not exceed 60% of

its yield stress in serviceability limit states. So the upper

limit of fatigue loading is taken as Pmax = 0.8 Py = 0.8x
130= 104 kN, overloading 33% . The lower limit of fatigue
loading is fmin = 44 kN, which is determined by the principle of no relative bounce between the spreader beam and the
actuator. The fatigue stress ratio is p = 0.42 and the stress

Fatigue experiment is carried out by means of fatigue

testing machine PMS-500 in Bridge Engineering Lab of Hunan University. The test is under constant amplitude loading
with a 0.8 Hz frequency. Before fatigue test, 2 cycles of
static test of loading and unloading is performed with an upper limit of Pmax. The purpose is to eliminate gaps in the
loading system and to check that the Data Acquisition System

amplitude of longitudinal bars is about A/y = 160.5 MPa for

is working correctly. Five-stage loading from 0 to Pmlix and

unstrengthened beams. The stress amplitude of longitudinal

four stage unloading from Pmax to 0 are conducted. When

bars of beams strengthened with HPFL is about 136 ~ 149

the fatigue test is carried on, the upper and lower limit of

MPa, 11-24 MPa higher than the requirement 125 MPa in

loading is kept stable, with an error less than 5% of the up-

the

per limit load. After predetermined number of times, shut

Specification

for

Design

of

Concrete

Structures

(GB50010-2002).

down the equipment and unload to 0. Then a cycle of static

The fatigue loadings of specimens Cl ~ C4 are lower.

loading test is performed to measure deflection and strain.

J. Highway Transp. Res. Dev. (English Ed.) 2010.4:57-61.

SHANG Shouping.et al: Experimental Research on Fatigue Behavior of Reinforced Concrete ReamsStrengthened with HPFL-

Tab. 3

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Survey the maximum crack width and observe crack extension at the interface. When the fatigue damage occurs, note

Specimen

Fatigue

the number of cycles and failure characteristics. Static load

number

lives( x 104)

test is done for those specimens that still not fail after 2 mil-

A0

lion cycles.

Al

B0

32.7

Reaction frame
Displacement
. ,
transducers Spreader beam

EZI

IE

Displacement
transducers

Actuator

Displacement Concrete pier_

transducers

100

800

Fig. 2

L 300 I 300 I
"*
2400

soo

100

Experimental equipment (unit: mm)

2 Test result and analysis

2.1

Experiment phenomenon and failure mode

Main test result is shown in Tab. 3. The control speci-

59

Main experimental result

Failure modes
longitudinal bars yielded, concrete crushed
longitudinal l>ars and steel mesh yielded, concrete and composite mortar crusruxl

Bl

62.8

B2

66.8

B3

43.9

B4

37.8

Cl

>200

>200

>200

>200

1 longitudinal bar ruptured, concrete crushed

2 longitudinal l>ars and 2 mesh steels ruptured , concrete crushed
1 longitudinal bars and 2 mesh steels ruptured , concrete and composite mortar crushed
2 longitudinal l>ars and all mesh steels ruptured , concrete cruslu*l
2 longitudinal bars and 3 mesh steels ruptured, concrete crushed
failed under static test after 2 million cycles,
concrete crushed
failed under static test after 2 million cycles,
concrete crushed
failed under static test after 2 mi 11 inn cycles,
concrete crushed
failed under static test after 2 million cycles,
dclxmding at the interface of HPFL and con-

men B0 fails after 32.7 million cycles, with brittle bending

failure of a longitudinal bar fracture on the bottom and concrete crush. By contrast with B0 at the same number of cycles, Bl ~ B4 have a significant reduction in deflection, concrete and steel strain and the crack width. The number of
cracks on mortar surface is larger and the space is closer.
Fatigue failure happens suddenly without obvious signs. Four
strengthened beams are destructed by steel and steel mesh
tensile failure, but the damage is much less severe than that
of BO. One of longitudinal bars breaks on the bottom of Bl
and B2 while two rupture in B3 and B4. Debonding at the
interface of HPFL and concrete is not observed due to shear
pins planted at the end of the beams.
Fatigue failure does not occur after 2 million cycles for
Cl ~ C4. In the subsequent static load test,Cl - C3 fail in
the manner of steel and steel mesh yielding on the bottom
followed by concrete and composite mortar crush. Entire
debonding of U-shaped HPFL appears at the interface, owing
to no shear pins planted at the end of the beam.

2.2

Fatigue life
Tab. 3 indicates that specimens B0 ~ B4 have lower fa-

tigue lives, ranging from 320 000 to 670 000. Suppose we

make 2 million cycles as the failure criterion, the fatigue
lives of control beam and strengthened beams are only equivalent to 16.4% and 18.9% ~ 33.4% of that. For the RC
beams whose design life is 50 years, the fatigue lives of the

Fig. 3

Fatigue failure pattern of beams

control beam and strengthened beams are perhaps only 8

years and 9-17 years. This is mainly because the stress
level and stress amplitude of longitudinal bars exceed the defined limiting values under over loading conditions. Steel
rupture leads to much lower life expectancy. Specimens,
Cl ~ C4, subjected to a normal level cyclic loading, all exhibit fatigue lives more than 2 million cycles.
HPFL strengthened beams Bl ~ B4 all enjoy various
degree of longer fatigue lives than the control specimen B0.
Fatigue lives of Bl and B2 increase by 301 000 and 341 000
respectively, both more than double B0. Compared with B0,
B3 and B4 have increasing amplitude of 34% and 16% in
fatigue lives. The fatigue lives of Bl and B2 are both longer
than those of B3 and B4, showing that the fatigue life extends
with the amount of HPFL. This can be attributed to the cooperation work between HPFL and the beams. The steel
mesh at the bottom reduces the stress level and stress amplitude of longitudinal bars. Decrease of the steel stress amplitude makes the crack growth slow. Therefore, the fatigue life

J. Highway Transp. Res. Dev. (English Ed.) 2010.4:57-61.

Journal of Highway and Transportation Research and Development

60

Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by K K Wagh Inst Of Engg Education & Research, Nasik on 02/12/15. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved.

of strengthened beams could be extended significantly.

000 cycles reached, B0 deflection was as high as 6.3 mm

Fig. 4 illustrates the steel S~N curves regressed ac-

and B2 reached up to 4.3 mm, 32% less than B0. Bl, B3

cording to the experimental result. By summarizing the pre-

and B4 were all deflected about 3.1 mm, only equivalent to

vious researches on beams subjected to fatigue loading at

49% of B0. This is primarily due to cooperation work of-

home and abroad, the conclusion shows that most of the

HPFL and prior beams, resulting in fatigue stiffness increase

beams fatigue failure begins with steel rupture. This is in

and deflection reduction.

good agreement with our experimental result. Thus, it is the

2.4

Strain

key to study the fatigue behavior of steel bars. The relation

Data in the Fig. 6 are strain result obtained from fa-

expressions between the fatigue life and steel stress ampli-

tigue test. After the same number of cycles the concrete

tude are regressed as follows:

strain of the control beam is visibly higher than that of

]gN= 14.812 5-4.235 71gAa,

(1)

strengthened beams, proving that HPFL restricts crack devel-

jvhere, N is cycles to failure; A<7 is stress range within ten-

opment very well. The neutral axis moves upward slower and

sile reinforcing steel.

the mechanical behavior is improved significantly. The strain

Correlation coefficient =

-0.957; the standard devi-

ations = 0.045.

of concrete and steels are also greatly reduced because HPFL

cooperates with beam well. The steel mesh help longitudinal
bars of non-strengthened beams reduce stress by participating
in sustaining tension. The more amount of the steel mesh,
the better effect.
--B0-T-B3

-1 200 I --Bl--B4
-1 100
-1 000
-900
-800
-700:
-600 -i*

-.0^

Fig. 4

2.3

Cycles* X104)
(a) B0-B4

5
10
15
Cycles(XK)4)
(b) B0-B4

50 100 150
Cycles( X104)
(c)Cl~C4

50 100 150 200

Cycles( X 104)
(d)Cl~C4

2.20

10

15

20

20

Regression of fatigue experiment result

Deflection
With reference to Fig. 5 we can see that the deflections

at midspans of the beams increase obviously with cycles. B0

deflection increases in linear with cycles before 200 000 cycles , much faster than those of strengthened beams. Deflection of strengthened beams was basically in linear growth be-

Fig. 6

fore 20 000 cycles. After 20 000 cycles the changes were

very small and rapid growth took place after 50 000 cycles.
HPFL strengthened beams always had smaller deflections
compared with that of the companion beam B0. When 200
--B0 -T-B3
.--Bl -4-B4
/^B2
^

6.0

5.0
- 4.0
& 30
<U

2.0

^^

s^'^

lr
0

10 20 30 40
Cycles(X104)
(a) B0-B4
Fig. 5

2.4
T--*
| 2.2?2.0;
r, 1.8 J
= 1 6 f
Q
1.4:

yi^^

50

;*

-*-c\

--C2
-*-C3

c4

50 100 150 200

Cycles(X104)
(b)Cl~C4

Deflection- cycle curves

Strain-cycle curves

The experimental result reveals that the strain distribution of concrete is approximately linear. Before longitudinal
bars ruptured, the concrete at the edge of compression zone
is in elastic phase, with its stress less than the compressive
strength. So the average strain distribution still accord with
flat section assumption in spite of repeated loadings, being
nearly triangular distribution along the section height.

Conclusions
(1) All beams strengthened with HPFL are subjected to

fatigue failure in overload situation. The failure mode is longitudinal bar and steel mesh fracture followed by concrete

J. Highway Transp. Res. Dev. (English Ed.) 2010.4:57-61.

SHANG Shouping, et al; Experimental Research on Fatigue Behavior of Reinforced Concrete ReamsStrengthened with HPFL
[6 J

and cement-mortar crush.

& Building Press, 2005.

ing by 33 % and stress amplitudes beyond regulations by

Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by K K Wagh Inst Of Engg Education & Research, Nasik on 02/12/15. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved.

TENG Jinguang, CHEN Jianfei, SMfTII S T, et al. FRP

Strengthened RC Structures [MJ . Beijing: China Architecture

(2) Under the condition of upper fatigue load exceed-

11 - 24 MPa, the fatigue lives are only 327 000 - 668 000.

61

[7 J

SHANG Shouping, ZENG linghong, PENG Hui,

et al.

Flexural Behavior of Reinforced Concrete Beams with Ferroce-

But the fatigue lives of HPFL strengthened beams are all

ment [J J . Journal of Building Structures, 2003, 24 (6);

more than 2 million cycles under safe loads.

87 - 91.

( 3) Compared with the control beam, the fatigue Ii ves

[8J

of strengthened beams are obviously extended, increased with

LUO libo, SHANG Shouping. A Discussion on Calculating

Model of Reinforced Concrete Beams Shear Strengthened with

the increase of steel mesh consumption. The deflections of

Ferrocement [J J . Science Technology and Engineering,

strengthened specimens, the strain of concrete and steels of

2006,6 (6): 788-790.

four strengthened beams are lower than those of the control

[9J

YAN Jun, SHANG Shouping, NlE Xu. Experimentallnvestigation of Compressive Strength of High Performance Composite

specimen.

Mortar after Elevated Temperature [J J . Journal of Railway

(4) It is an effective way to avoid debonding at the in-

Science and Engineering, 2006 , 3 (4); 59 - 62.

terface of HPFL and concrete by planting shear pins at the

[1OJ

end of the beams.

ZENG linghong, SHANG Shouping, WAN Jianping, et al.

Static and Fatigue Experimental Study on Reinforced Concrete

From the analysis above it is concluded that damage of

bridges due to overweight trucks is speeding.

Beams Strengthened with High-performance Ferrocement [JJ

Bridges

strengthened with right amount of HPFL can keep fatigue

Journal of Building Structures, 2008, 29 (1): 83 - 89.

[11 J

stress and stress amplitude from exceeding permitted limit

JIANG Longmin. The Research on the Performance of RC

Columns Strengthened with High Performance Composite Ce-

values, with fatigue life more than 2 million cycles.

ment Mortar Laminates Reinforced by Mesh Reinforcements under Monotonic Loading and Laterally Cyclic Loading [D J

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J. Highway Transp. Res. Dev. (English Ed.) 2010.4:57-61.