Materials

Evaluation of Bond of Reinforcing Steel in UHPC: Design Parameters and Material Property Characterization

---

Abstract

As a material on the leading edge of concrete innovation, ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) allows the design of innovative structural components and offers the opportunities to develop new techniques for construction, repair, and retrofit. Compared to the traditional normal strength concrete which is brittle under tension, UHPC-class materials exhibit very high compressive strength and enhanced cracking and post-cracking behavior in tension. The advanced mechanical properties of the UHPC-class material create many opportunities for innovation in design, but also challenge the use of most current design specifications which are based on traditional normal strength concrete. This paper presents the evaluation of the bond between the reinforcing steel and UHPC-class materials. The material properties including the compressive strength and the tensile characteristics of UHPC are presented. The effect of design parameters, including the embedment length, concrete cover, and bar spacing on bond strength is assessed. A total of five different, commercially-available UHPC-class materials with various fiber contents are included in the evaluation. Results indicate that the embedment length of reinforcing bar in UHPC can be significantly reduced. Guidance on the embedment of reinforcing steel in UHPC is provided.

Keywords: UHPC, structural design, tensile response, reinforcing bar bond, compressive strength

How to Cite:

Graybeal, B. A. & Yuan, J., (2016) “Evaluation of Bond of Reinforcing Steel in UHPC: Design Parameters and Material Property Characterization”, International Interactive Symposium on Ultra-High Performance Concrete 1(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.21838/uhpc.2016.102