Experimental and numerical studies of external steel plate strengthened reinforced concrete coupling beams

Abstract

This paper aims to develop a new method for strengthening reinforced concrete coupling beams. Experiments were conducted to test three full-scale RC coupling beams, of which two were strengthened by bolted external steel plates on the side faces of the beams and the other one acted as a control specimen without strengthening. The improvements to strength, deformation and energy dissipation of the external plate strengthened RC coupling beams were observed from the experimental results. Nonlinear finite element analysis was carried out to model the strengthened and non-strengthened coupling beams.The material properties used for concrete and reinforcement in the numerical analysis were validated by the laboratory tests. As experimental study showed that there was a small slip between the bolted connection and the concrete wall pier, a bilinear model was used to simulate the load-slip behaviour of the bolt connections. The model was calibrated by the experimental results from the plate strengthened coupling beams.Numerical parametric study found that the small slip (>3mm) between the bolt connection and the concrete wall could significantly affect the load carrying capacity of the bolt connections as well as the structural performance of the strengthened coupling beams. The numerical model developed is very useful for investigating strengthened beams with other configurations and other reinforcement details.

Behaviour of embedded steel plate in composite coupling beams

“…The nonlinear finite element analysis (NLFEA), on the other hand, has become a mature and powerful tool for the comprehensive investigation of various composite structures [4][5][6]. After validated the finite element models by the well-controlled experimental results, reliable numerical results, such as full-field internal stress distributions, in far more detail than is possible in laboratory work can be obtained.…”

Load–deformation prediction for eccentrically loaded bolt groups by a kinematic hardening approach

“…One of the relatively new forms of composite structures is produced by anchoring steel plates on the sides of reinforced concrete beams using sets of bolt groups [1][2][3][4][5]. It is shown that, by using the steel plates, the RC beam gains additional strength and stiffness while maintaining a satisfactory level of ductility, and has been used in retrofitting reinforced concrete beams like floor beams [2] and coupling beams [5].…”

Seismic performance of steel coupling beam–wall connections in panel shear failure

“…Testing of hybrid coupled shear wall systems at the University of McGill in Canada [7][8][9] led to recommendations for designing steel coupling beams in hybrid coupled shear wall systems. Experimental and numerical studies on concrete-steel composite coupling beams at the University of Hong Kong in China [10] were conducted to investigate the effects of encasement around shear-yielding steel coupling beams. These experimental studies were primarily concerned with the inelastic cyclic behaviour of steel coupling beams or hybrid coupled shear wall systems and did not deeply investigate connection strength.…”