Engineering Frarrure Mechanics Vol. 35, No. l/2/3, pp.269-275, 1990 0013-7944/90 $3.00 + 0.

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Printed in Great Britain. Pergamon Press plc.

FRACTURE IN REINFORCED CONCRETE BEAMS

UNDER REPEATED LOADS
DOMENICO BRUNO, RENATO S. OLIVITO and GIUSEPPE SPADEA
Department of Structures, University of Calabria, Cosenza, Italy

Abstract-In this work the behaviour of reinforced concrete beams in bending under repeated and
reversed loading is studied. At first, a numerical investigation is carried out using a mechanical
model based on the assumption of suitable constitutive laws for concrete and steel in the regime
of reversed loads whilst also taking into account the confining effect of the stirrups. The adequacy
of the mode1 is, thereby, experimentally verified by some comparisons with the results obtained
from tests on full-scale beams. The analysis of the results, concerning the ultimate load carrying
capacity, ductile and brittle behaviour, change in flexural rigidity and cracking distribution,
confirmed the theoretical previsions.

1. INTRODUCTION
THE ANALYSIS of reinforced concrete structures under cyclic loadings is particularly complicated
both for the hysteretic behaviour of the materials and for the loss of bond under repeated loading.
Many authors have worked on this subject and significant results can be found in[l-31. The
behaviour of r.c. structures under cyclic loading beyond elastic limit can be studied by using the
basic results of plasticity taking into account the nonlinear behaviour of the materials or by using
a simplified approach which enables reference to the global kinematic and static characteristic of
the structures[4,5]. The latter approach, which greatly facilitates computations, in many cases can
be inadequate to achieve sufficient accuracy of results. In the present work a mechanical model
suitable to describe the flexural response of a reinforced concrete section under repeated and
reversed loads[6] is analysed.
The mechanical model is based on the following assumptions:
-idealization of the steel behaviour with a piece-wise linearization of the classic Ramberg-
Osgood relationship;
-stress-strain relationship for concrete according to Smith and Young’s proposal[7-81;
-confining effect of web reinforcement.
A step-by-step procedure is therefore used, by assuming a piece-wise linear idealization of the
actual moment<urvature relationship, which maintains, in any case, a satisfactory accuracy of the
results. Then the validation of the model is carried out by a comparison with the experimental data
obtained from the tests on full-scale beams (confined and unconfined models) with different ratios
of compressive to tensile reinforcement area.

2. THE MECHANICAL MODEL

The assumed stress-strain relationship for concrete in compression under repeated loads is
indicated in Fig. 1.
The envelope curve is represented by the equation[8,9]:

(1)
where (o,, , cc,,) are the coordinates of the peak point for the envelope curve and:

cc0 =_& + KFrR (2)

cc0= &k+ K,F, . (3)

269
270 DOMENICO BRUNO et al.

Envelope curve
/

Fig. 1.

Terms Fv, K, and K2 take into account the confining action of the stirrups. In particular, F,,,
represents the passive confinement effect of the transverse reinforcement that improves the
stress-strain characteristics of concrete at high strain levels and can be given by the expression:

FV = &+ (4)
(l-J&)
where:
pS is the ratio of volume of transverse reinforcement to volume of concrete core;
f, is the yield strength of stirrups;
d, is the equivalent diameter of the concrete core;
S,, is the stirrup spacing.
Also from[9], K,, K2 are given by:
K =6.61 x 7F$“
(5)
’ &F
K = 0.047 FK9
(6)
*
(Lk/7)‘.2 .
It is noticeable that the confining effect influences the properties of the material and
particularly the peak point of the envelope curve. The settlement of the envelope curve allows the
definition of unloading and reloading curves (different for each compressed concrete fiber) by
assuming second degree parabolae passing through the following points (see Fig. 1):
(A) unloading curve 1 on the envelope curve
2 on the common points curve
3 residual strain point;
(B) reloading curve 3 residual strain point
2 on the common points curve
1’ successive point on the envelope curve.
The position of the above-mentioned points (depending on a,+, values), is obtained from
experimental investigation[& 91 and is given by the following relations:

“‘p cc/Go ccI%,

(7)
co 0.315 + 0.77 /? exp l - 0.315 + 0.77 B >
with
0.63 < p < 0.76 (8)
and
5 = (1.76 - +.160(;~ + 0.133(;)], (9)
6CO
unloading stage:

Lo.145(~~+0.13(~) (10)
6CO
 Fracture in reinforced concrete beams

c
Fig. 2.

reloading stage:

~=0.*!?3(~~+*.0!+). (11)
CO
As is well known, the dissipated energy in a loading and an unloading cycle, when maximum
stress is lower than the shakedown limit, is negligible, particularly with the cycling increase. This
was ex~rimen~lly observed[lO] by the authors, and therefore allows, for the considered loading
regimes, the assumption of the secant elastic modulus as indicated in Fig. 2.
Since the reversed loading is applied to the beams, a relationship suitable to represent the
softening behaviour due to the Bauschinger effect, must be considered for the steel.
The assumed (T--Crelationship represented in Fig. 3, an idealization of the classic Ram-
berg-Osgood equation, consists of sets of straight lines parallel to the elastic slope and inclined
to it. The tension stiffening effect and the loss of bond is also taken into account.
The theoretical approach just exposed was checked against some experimental results available
in the literature[ll]. The agreement found between the present analysis and the previous
experimental data is adequate, as can be seen in Fig. 4.

3. EXPERrMENTAL I~ESTIGA~ON
In this section the experimental tests, carried out in order to investigate the effect of reversed
loadings on the behaviour of full-scale reinforced concrete beams, are described.
Two series of doubly reinforced beams were tested; the dimensions and the mechanical
properties of each series are indicated in detail in Fig. 5. The difference in the two series is with
steel reinforcement ratio A i/A,. Moreover, for each series, two stirrup spacings have been adopted:
7.5 cm (A, and B,) and 15 cm (A2 and B,), respectively. In order to achieve reversed bending
moments in the midspan section two different loading and constraint schemes have been arranged.
Figure 6 shows the loading and constraint schemes adopted for series A beams and for series B
beams, respectively. The position of loads was chosen, according to that found in[l2,13], in order
to have a bending failure mechanism. Strains in longitudinal reinforcement and in stirrups were
measured by means of electrical strain gauges placed as shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 3.
 DOMENICO BRUNO et al.

- Present analysis
l [III

Fig. 4.

Stirrups #6/15”

,
I IIIIIIIIIIII,lIIIIIMIIIIlI:/
Series A A’s =2+6 Series B A’s =3# 12
beams beams
As= 3+16 Asi 3+12

Stikps CgS/ 7.5”

Fig. 5.

a a
‘L f
f

Scheme I A A I
15, 400 y15
? 1

Scheme 2 1
1 1

% 177 1y 76 y 177 Y

Series A: a = 123 cm 4 Series B : a = 96 cm

Fig. 6.

I E,IO-II-12
___
I

Ef’3:i4,-‘5 E:16 E:17

A 1
B
Fig. 7.
 Fracture in reinforced concrete beams 213

a25
- Numerlcal
----- ExperImentat

Fig. 8.

All beams were tested on a steel frame; load was applied by means of a unilift worm gear
actuator which allowed controlled displacement tests. The load was measured by means of a strain
gauge load cell branched on a scanning and measuring station. Deflections were measured by using
inductive displacement transducers with a maximum travel of 200 nm and an accuracy of 0.01 mm.
All instruments were connected to the previously-mentioned scanning and measuring station.
Cracking pattern and crack growth were recorded off by means of a TENSOTAST-Huggenberger
deformometer. Each beam of the two series was subjected to six complete loading and unloading
cycles.
Tests were carried out by choosing the curvature at the midspan section as controlling
parameter.

4. ANALYSIS OF THE RESULTS AND CONCLUDING REMARKS

The results of the numerical analysis described in Section 2 have been compared with the
experimental results obtained from cycling loaded beams described above. For the sake of brevity
only results of beams A,, AZ and B, are given. The experimental curvatures were calculated from
the measured strains in the top and bottom steel, respectively. Figures 8, 9 and 10 compare
experimental and theoretical moment-curvature curves for the tested beams.

- Numerical

---- Exprlrmntal

Fig. 9.
214 DOMENICO BRUNO et al.

- Numerical

----. Experlmental

Fig. 10.

The agreement found between the experimental and numerical results for each beam is close
enough for satisfaction. Slightly higher differences can be found when the moment is carried by
a steel couple alone. This behaviour is due essentially to yielding of the steel in tension and cracking
of the concrete in the tension zone, these do not close when the direction of moment is reversed.
In particular for beams with different top and bottom reinforcement (Figs 8, 9), once the larger
area of steel has yielded in tension, the concrete on that side may not carry compression when the
moment is reversed because there is a small area of steel on the top of the beam. For the beams
that have equal top and bottom steel, after the first yield excursion, the load is carried largely by
the steel couple. It is evident that the flexural rigidity of the beams is reduced when the moment
is supported by the steel couple alone, but increased when the concrete begins to carry compression.
The increase in stiffness is higher than in the theoretical curves, because of, probably, a part of
the compression is carried across cracks in the cracks closing stage[l4, 151. The Bauschinger effect
of the steel causes reduction in flexural rigidity when the amount is reversed. Cracking patterns

Fig. 11.

7 6 9 IO

Fig. 12.

Fig. 13.
 Fracture in reinforced concrete beams 275

are reported in Figs 11, 12 and 13. It is noticeable that cracks are more frequent for confined models
compared with unconfined models which, on the contrary, have higher crack width. It may be
concluded that theoretical moment-curvature curves for reinforced concrete members in the regime
of repeated and reversed loading can be studied by assuming idealized stress-strain curves for the
concrete and steel.
The mechanical model used demonstrates a good agreement both with test results available
in the literature and with test results obtained by the authors.

REFERENCES
[l] S. Dei Poli, Microfessur~one, leggi costitutive e condixioni di rottura de1 calcestruzzo in stati tensionali mono e
pluriassiali, in Studi e Rendiconti Corso di Perfezionamento per le Costruzioni in c.a. Fratelli Pesenti, 15, pp. 30-34.
Masson Italia Editori, Milan0 (1978).
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(1964).
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New Zealand (1969).
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(1982).
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[15] A. Carpinteri and A. Carpinteri, Hysteretic behaviour of r.c. beams. J. Struct. Engng 110.2073-2084(September 1984).

(Received for publication I6 November 1988)