This paper describes an experimental study on the flexural ductility of lightweight-aggregate concrete beams including concretes with compressive strengths between 22.0 and 60.4 MPa and dry densities between 1651 and 1953 kg/m 3 .Nineteen simply supported beams were tested until failure. Two symmetrical concentrated loads were applied at approximately one third of the span. Ductility was studied by defining ductility indexes. The main variables are the concrete compressive strength and the longitudinal tensile reinforcement ratio. It is shown that the parameter with higher influence on ductility is the longitudinal tensile reinforcement ratio. The test results are also compared with the requirements from some codes of practice. It is shown that ACI Code requirements give more guaranties as far as ductility is concerned, when compared with European codes.

No abstract

This article presents an experimental study on the evolution of the neutral axis depth at failure in the critical section with the flexural ductility and plastic rotation capacity of reinforced concrete (RC) lightweight-aggregate concrete (LWAC) beams. For this, the results of a previous experimental program involving RC LWAC beams tested in flexure until failure are used. The variable studies were the concrete compressive strength (between 22.0 and 60.4 MPa and dry density between 1651 and 1953 kg/m3) and the longitudinal tensile reinforcement ratio (between 0.13% and 2.69%). The flexural ductility and the plastic rotation capacity of the RC LWAC beams are characterized by a ductility index and a plastic trend parameter, respectively. The influence of the variable studies, as well as the relation of the flexural ductility and plastic rotation capacity with the values for the neutral axis depth at failure are analyzed and discussed. Some conclusions are drawn which can be useful for the design of RC LWAC beams for flexure. In particular, it is shown that the practical rule of limiting the neutral axis depth at failure to ensure ductile behavior, as used in normal-weight aggregate concrete beams, is also valid for RC LWAC beams.

Steady-state methods have been widely used in Europe to analyse the energy performance of low-energy buildings. The accuracy of such methods depends on the assumptions regarding the compensation of non-stationary effects but also on the input design data, such as the temperature of unconditioned spaces (UnSp). This temperature depends mainly on the thermal characteristics of UnSp envelope, air ventilation rate, temperature of the conditioned spaces, and the external environment. External environment varies over time, daily and seasonally, making it difficult to accurately estimate UnSp temperature. European Union (EU) directives stated that the UnSp temperature can be evaluated by the adjustment factor (b) set by EN ISO 13789. However, each Member State may adjust procedures, by proposing simplified approaches, either for new or existing buildings. In this paper the b-values measured on-site in three dwellings were compared to those calculated by EN ISO 13789, as well as those estimated based on simplified procedures, allowed in the regulatory framework of some EU Member States, namely Ireland, Portugal, Spain, France, and Italy. The study allowed to conclude that EN ISO 13789 and Irish BR 443 provided similar values. However, if the purpose is to simplify procedures and reduce computation effort, French RE2020 proved to be very effective. The thermal characteristics of the UnSp envelope and air ventilation rate were identified as the parameters that most affect the estimation of the b-value, while thermal losses through linear thermal bridges and the ground do not seem to have a significant impact.

"Corrigendum." Journal of Civil Engineering and Management, 22(8), p. 1088