Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Volume 10, Issue 03, March 2019, pp. 336–348, Article ID: IJCIET_10_03_035
Available online at http://www.iaeme.com/ijmet/issues.asp?JType=IJCIET&VType=10&IType=3
ISSN Print: 0976-6308 and ISSN Online: 0976-6316
ABSTRACT
In this paper, the effectiveness of textile-reinforced mortar (TRM) and fiber-
reinforced polymer (FRP), as a means of improving the punching behavior of
reinforced concrete flat slabs were numerically investigated. Finite element (FE)
model using ABAQUS computer program was developed to analyze eight half-scaled
slabs, in terms of load-carrying capacity, ductility, stiffness, and crack patterns. These
eight specimens were divided into two groups (G1 and G2) with four specimens for
each of them. Specimens of G1 was similar to that of G2 in all details but differ in the
eccentricity of the applied load. Specimens of G1 were tested with concentric load,
while these of G2 were tested with 150 mm eccentricity. For each group, one specimen
was built as control (unstrengthened), one was strengthened by FRP-sheet, and the
other two was strengthened by TRM-jacket with two different mesh opening (10 and
20 mm). The results obtained from FE analysis showed that the efficiency of TRM in
increasing the punching shear capacity of strengthened slabs was less than that of
FRP. In addition, the slabs strengthened by TRM showed stiffer behavior than that
strengthened by FRP, but lesser ductile. TRM effectiveness was sensitive to the mesh
size of the textile. When the mesh size decreased, stiffness was increased and ductility
was decreased.
Key words: flat slab, punching sheer, stiffness, ductility, TRM, FRP.
Cite this Article: Majid H. Abdulhussein, Dr. Muhammad J. Kadhim, Numerical
Investigation on the Punching Behavior of RC Flat Slabs Strengthening by TRM and
FRP, International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology 10(3), 2019, pp.
336–348.
http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/issues.asp?JType=IJCIET&VType=10&IType=3
1. INTRODUCTION
The flat plate is a two-way framing systems composed of uniform slabs supported directly by
columns without drop panels or capitals. This type of system has many applications in the
construction industry due to many advantages that it offers, which include the simplified
formwork, fast construction, reduction of story heights and architectural flexibility. Park and
Gamble (2000) [1] indicated that for each ten stores in a structure, an additional store may be
added automatically for the same overall height in the flat plate systems, as compared to the
other systems having the same height. Despite of these benefits, there are many drawbacks
with using of this system. The important one is punching shear failure at the slab column-
connection that is caused by shear transferring and the supporting column moments. In nature,
punching shear failure is brittle and maybe leads to building progressive collapse. In general,
two types of punching can be distinguished: symmetrical punching and non-symmetrical. It
can be said that the punching is symmetrical if the geometry, the load, the bearing conditions,
and the composition of the structural element (concrete and reinforcement) can be considered
symmetrical with respect to the two axes of symmetry. If one of these conditions is missing, it
will be possible to enter the term of non-symmetrical punching. In this case, it is still possible
to distinguish between two different types: non-symmetrical punching without eccentricity
and non-symmetrical punching with eccentricity. The difference between these two types is
that, in case of eccentric punching, the conditions of non-symmetry lead to generate a bending
moment transfers from the slab to the column, and that what called by the unbalanced
moment [2]. The phenomenon of transmission of the moment between the slab and the
column is one of the main problems of the study of eccentric punching.
Existing reinforced concrete (RC) slabs have usually been designed without shear
reinforcement. Previous design codes have made possible to assume that the shear capacity of
regular reinforced concrete was sufficient. Punching strength in slabs can become insufficient
due to several reasons such as changes of building usage and loading, need of installing new
services that requires openings in the slabs, and in the relevant updated design codes [3]. Over
the past decade, a number of research has dealt with various strengthening techniques for RC
flat slabs in order to increase the punching shear capacity. These include enlarging the
supporting area by adding concrete capitals or steel collars at the connection zone [4], [5],
introducing post-installed shear reinforcement around columns [6], using of post-installed
prestressed members [7], and more recently applying FRP sheets to the tension face [8], [9].
Some of these methods provides an enough additional strength to the slabs; however, they are
elaborate, difficult to install, expensive and aesthetically not pleasing. Strengthening slabs
with FRPs is simple, does not require excessive labor or equipment, and does not change the
appearance of the slab. However, the FRP strengthening technique has a few disadvantages
mainly associated with the use of epoxy resins, namely high cost, poor performance in high
temperatures, inability to apply on wet surfaces, as discussed by Triantafillou et al. (2018)
[10].
One possible solution to the above problems would be the replacement of organic with
inorganic binders, e.g. cement-based mortars, leading to the replacement of FRP with textile-
reinforced mortar (TRM) [11]. A TRM is a composite comprises high-strength fibers made of
carbon, basalt or glass in form of textiles embedded into inorganic materials such as cement-
based mortars. The textiles typically consist of fiber rovings woven or stitched at least in two
orthogonal directions, thus creating an open-mesh geometry. TRM is a relatively low cost
strengthening material, friendly for manual workers and compatible to concrete or masonry
substrates material, whereas can be applied on wet surfaces or at low temperatures. The same
material can also be found in the literature as FRCM. Significant research effort has been put
in the last decade to use TRM system as strengthening materials for reinforced concrete (RC)
members [12]–[14]. Few research studies have been reported in the technical literature on
using TRM to strengthen a flat slab against punching shear failure [15], [16]. To the author
knowledge, the effect of applying TRM jackets on the punching shear behavior of the RC flat
slabs subjected to combined action of shear force and unbalanced moment were not
investigated in the literature. In this paper, a nonlinear finite element analysis using ABAQUS
program (2016) was conducted to investigate the effect of using TRM composite system on
the punching behavior of flat slabs in terms of load carrying capacity, stiffness, ductility, and
crack patterns thereby compared that with the effect of using CFRP system. The parameter
investigated in the numerical analysis are the eccentricity of the load (zero and 150 mm), type
of external strengthening (CFRP and TRM), and mesh opening of the carbon fiber textile (10
and 20 mm).
Figure 2 Details and configrations of CFRP and TRM strengthening systems (dimensions in mm).
to 20 mm and the FE results become more accurate with experimental ones, therefore, 25 mm
mesh size was selected for the analysis.
2.2.2. Material modeling, element types, and contraction
In general, five parts were involved in the modeling of the specimens. These five parts were
concrete slab, concrete column, flexural reinforcement of the slabs, reinforcing bars of the
column, and bearing plate. These parts were drawn separately and then assembled and merged
to form the modeling specimens. Fig. 3 explains the assembly of these five parts.
Flexural
Concrete Bearing plate Column
column reinforcemen
reinforcemen
Concrete
slab
with reduced integration (C3D8R). Steel reinforcement was linked by embedded region
constrain to the surrounding concrete.
TRM-jacket
TRM was represented by a linear truss element (T3D2), for the textile, embedded into a solid
brick element for mortar (i.e. Linear Hexahedral elements with reduced integration (C3D8R)
have been selected to simulate the mortar matrix). To model the textile, an equivalent
diameter for the textile was calculated and a circular profile was assumed. A perfect bond was
assumed not only between the textile and the surrounding mortar but also between TRM
composite system and concrete substrate. The properties of the textile and the mortar, based
on the manufacturer’s product data sheet, were presented in Table 2. The constitutive model
used to simulate mortar was adopted from Awani (2015) [22].
CFRP-sheet
A unidirectional CFRP lamina can usually be treated as an orthotropic material whose
mechanical properties in the fiber direction are different from those in the other two
orthogonal directions. That is, the elastic modulus, shear modulus and Poisson’s ratios are
different in different directions. the FRP lamina is modeled as plane stress element, and the
mechanical properties of the FRP lamina can be obtained from the two constituents (i.e.,
fibers and epoxy) and their volume fractions based on the mechanics of materials approach
[23] are calculated and listed in Table 3.
A bilinear cohesive model available in ABAQUS is a best select for modelling the
interface behavior between CFRP lamina and concrete surface, as shown in Fig. 4 b. The
cohesive model defines surfaces of separation and prescribes their interaction by describing a
proportional displacement at each contact point. The definition of the model is characterized
by the parameters, initial stiffness, shear strength, fracture energy and curve shape of the bond
slip model. These parameters as a function of the adhesive and concrete properties are
determined according to Obaidat (2011) [24].
(a) Bilinear tension softening [18] (a) Bilinear cohesive model [24]
Figure 4 Bilnear tension softening and cohesive model used in this study.
Energy
Ultimate Ultimate Uncracked Cracked Loss in
Specimens Absorption
Load Deflection Stiffness Stiffness Stiffness
Symbol Index
KN mm --- KN/mm KN/mm %
S1-e00-CFRP 362.14 12.82 3.85 62.33 36.37 58
S3-e00-TRM1 335.24 8.11 2.95 89.88 66.59 74
G1
S4-e00-TRM2 306.56 8.49 2.71 67.52 52.97 78
S2-e00-XX 259.29 10.08 3.27 45.74 28.03 61
S1-e150-CFRP 216.45 11.92 3.15 35.02 21.86 62
S3-e150-TRM1 206.63 5.62 1.84 47.39 36.90 78
G2
S4-e150-TRM2 186.88 5.78 1.52 41.07 32.00 78
S5-e150-XX 155.84 8.72 2.84 31.13 20.23 65
250 Experimental
250 250
Experimental Experimental
Numerical Numerical Numerical
Punching Load (KN)
50 50 50
0 0 0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Central Deflection (mm) Central Deflection (mm) Central Deflection (mm)
load deflection curves can be represented by two straight lines with different slopes". initial
stiffness (Uncracked stiffness, Ki) described by the slope of the Load-displacement curve
reaching up to the first change in the slope (first cracking load), while secant stiffness
(cracking stiffness, Ks) defined by the slope of the load-displacement curve extending up to
the first yielding of the flexural reinforcement [26], see Fig 7a. Table 5 elucidates the results
of the initial and secant stiffness. In addition, the percentage of reduction in the stiffness after
cracks initiated also calculated and summarized in this Table.
It can be concluded that using CFRP and TRM as external flexural reinforcement
increased the initial and secant stiffness. Compared to the control specimens, the maximum
increase in the uncracked and cracking stiffness was about 96.49 and 137.56%, respectively,
for concentrically loaded specimens, and about 52.24 and 82.41%, respectively, for
eccentrically loaded specimens. Specimens strengthening with TRM jacket showed a better
improvement in stiffness and that was sensitive to the mesh size of the textile (i.e. stiffness
increased, when the mesh size decreased). The effects of applying external strengthening on
initial and secant stiffness are explained in Fig. 8.
It was observed from Fig.8 that increasing the stiffness in by applying external
strengthening was highly affected by eccentricity amount. For concentrically loaded
specimens, the average increase in the initial and secant stiffness was around 60.13 and
85.42%, respectively. While for eccentrically loaded specimens (i.e., in case of eccentricity
150 mm), the average increase in the initial and secant stiffness in was around 32.23 and
49.56%, respectively. It was shown that the best improvement in the stiffness was by applying
TRM of 10 mm mesh size on the tension face of the slab.
350 350
300 300
Punching Load (KN)
Punching Load (KN)
250 250
200 200
150 150
Control: Control:
100 S2-e00-XX 100 S5-e150-XX
Specimens of G1: Specimens of G2:
S1-e00-CFRP S4-e150-TRM2
50 S4-e00-TRM2 50 S1-e150-CFRP
S3-e00-TRM1 S3-e150-TRM1
0 0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
Central Deflection (mm) Central Deflection (mm)
110
+96.49%
100
90
+47.63%
80
+36.27%
70
+52.24%
60
+31.94%
45.74
+12.51%
50
31.13
40
30
S3-e150-TRM1
S4-e150-TRM2
S1-e150-CFRP
S4-e00-TRM2
S1-e00-CFRP
S3-e00-TRM1
S5-e150-XX
20
S2-e00-XX
10
+137.56%
80
70
+88.97%
Secant Stiffness (KN/mm)
60
50
+82.41%
+29.74%
+58.20%
40
28.02
+8.07%
30
20.23
20
S3-e150-TRM1
S4-e150-TRM2
S1-e150-CFRP
S4-e00-TRM2
S1-e00-CFRP
S3-e00-TRM1
S5-e150-XX
S2-e00-XX
10
0
eccentricity = 0 eccentricity = 150 mm
Eccentricity Effect
Figure 8 Effect of eccentricity and external strengthening on the initial and secant stiffness.
cracks are visualized through the maximum principal plastic strains [28]. The tensile principal
stresses can be utilized in Finite Element Analysis in order to indicate crack patterns but the
maximum principal plastic strains provide a higher illustration of the cracks [18]. For that
reason, the strains will be used for viewing the crack patterns for all tested slabs.
Fig. 10 showed the crack patterns (on the tension face of the slabs) of the all analyzed
specimens. It can be seen from Fig. 10 that the crack propagation of specimens strengthened
by CFRP were within the direction of the fiber distribution. While the crack patterns for slabs
strengthened by TRM-jackets were similar to that of control ones, but these cracks were
spread in different directions towards the edges. In addition, presence of eccentricity of
applied load resulted in excessive damage to the half tension surface of the slab (right portion
of the photograph shown in Fig. 10 as compared with the other half). Whereas the crack
patterns of specimen tested under concentric load was approximately symmetric about the two
axes.
5
+17.69%
4
-17.21%
+11.07%
-9.79%
Energy apsorbtion index
3.27
+46.46%
-35.21%
2.84
3
S3-e150-TRM1
S4-e150-TRM2
S1-e150-CFRP
S4-e00-TRM2
S1-e00-CFRP
S3-e00-TRM1
1
S5-e150-XX
S2-e00-XX
0
eccentricity = 0 eccentricity = 150 mm
Eccentricity Effect
4. CONCLUSIONS
Based on the results obtained in this paper using numerical analysis for the RC fat slabs
strengthened by CFRP and TRM and tested with two different eccentricities (0 and 150 mm),
the conclusions can be drawn as the following:
For concentrically loaded specimens, using CFRP increases the punching load and the central
deflection of the slabs by about 39.67 and 27.18%, respectively. While using TRM with 10
and 20 mm mesh opening increases the punching load by around 29.29 and 18.28%,
respectively, but decreases the central deflection by 58.83 and 47.32, respectively as
Compared with control specimens.
For eccentrically loaded specimens, using CFRP increases the punching load and the central
deflection of the slabs by about 38.9 and 36.7%, respectively. While using TRM with 10 and
20 mm mesh opening increases the punching capacity by around 38.90 and 32.60%,
respectively, and decreases the central deflection by about 35.55 and 33.72%, respectively, as
compared with control specimens.
It was observed that increasing the stiffness by applying external strengthening was highly
affected by eccentricity amount. For concentrically loaded specimens, the average increase in
the initial and secant stiffness was around 60.13 and 85.42%, respectively. While for
eccentrically loaded, the average increase in the initial and secant stiffness was around 32.23
and 49.56%, respectively.
It was shown that the best improvement in the stiffness was by applying TRM and that was
sensitive to the mesh opening of the textile (i.e. stiffness increased, when the mesh size
decreased).
Using CFRP increases the ductility of the specimens. In the other hand, Using TRM
shows a reduction in the ductility of the specimens and that was sensitive to the mesh size of
the textile used. It was also noted that increased the eccentricity of the load decreased the
calculated ductility
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