Papers by Keyword: Reactive Powder Concrete (RPC)

Abstract: Castellated columns are structural members that are created by breaking a rolled column along the center-line by flame after that rejoining the equivalent halves by welding such that for better structural strength against axial loading, the total column depth is increased by around 50 percent. The implementation of these institutional members will also contribute to significant economies of material value. The main objectives of this study are to study the enhancement of the load-carrying capacity of castellated columns with encasement of the columns by Reactive Powder Concrete (RPC) and lacing reinforcement, and serviceability of the confined castellated columns. The Castellated columns with RPC and Lacing Reinforcement improve compactness and local buckling (web and flange local buckling), as a result of steel section encasement. This study presents axial load test results for four specimens Castellated columns section encasement by Reactive powder concrete (RPC) with laced reinforcement. The encasement consists of, flanges unstiffened element height was filled with RPC for each side and laced reinforced which are used inclined continuous reinforcement of two layers on each side o0f the web of the castellated column. The inclination angle of lacing reinforcement concerning the longitudinal axis is 45o. Four specimens with four different configurations will be prepared and tested under axial load at columns. The first group was the control group (CSC1) Unconfined castellated steel column, the second group was consists of Castellated columns (web and flange) confined with 17mm of (RPC), welded web, and 6mm laced reinforcement (CSC3). While group three (CSC4) consists of a Castellated steel column same as the sample (CSC3), but without using welding between two parts of the castellated steel column. Groups four and five consist of a Castellated steel column same as sample (CSC4) encased partially with reactive powder concrete (25.5 mm) (CSC5) and full encased flange with reactive powder concrete (34mm) mm (CSC6), respectively. The tested specimens' results show that an increase in the strength of the column competitive with increasing the encased reactive powder concrete thickness. And the best sample was sample CSC6 with (34mm) mm in experimental and ABAQUS results.

Abstract: The main objectives of this study are to study the enhancement of the load-carrying capacity of Asymmetrical castellated beams with encasement the beams by Reactive Powder Concrete (RPC) and lacing reinforcement, the effect of the gap between top and bottom parts of Asymmetrical castellated steel beam at web post, and serviceability of the confined Asymmetrical castellated steel. This study presents two concentrated loads test results for four specimens Asymmetrical castellated beams section encasement by Reactive powder concrete (RPC) with laced reinforcement. The encasement of the Asymmetrical castellated steel beam consists of, flanges unstiffened element height was filled with RPC for each side and laced reinforced which are used inclined continuous reinforcement of two layers on each side of the Asymmetrical castellated steel beam web. The inclination angle of lacing reinforcement concerning the longitudinal axis is 45. Four specimens with four different configurations will be prepared and tested under two concentrated loads at the mid-third of the beam span. The tested specimen's properties are the First model; unconfined, Asymmetrical castellated steel beam (Reference), while the second, third, and fourth models consist of Asymmetrical Castellated steel beam (web and flange) confined with (RPC) with 19.1, 38.2, and 57.3 mm gap, respectively, between the two beams sections (the upper and lower one). The results of the experimental tests show that the use of RPC enhanced the properties of the castellated beams in all selected conditions despite creating a gap between the castellated beams.

Abstract: The Asymmetrical Castellated concavely – curved soffit Steel Beams with RPC and Lacing Reinforcement improves compactness and local buckling (web and flange local buckling), vertical shear strength at gross section (web crippling and web yielding at the fillet), and net section ( net vertical shear strength proportioned between the top and bottom tees relative to their areas (Yielding)), horizontal shear strength in web post (Yielding), web post-buckling strength, overall beam flexure strength, tee Vierendeel bending moment and lateral-torsional buckling, as a result of steel section encasement. This study presents two concentrated loads test results for seven specimens Asymmetrical Castellated concavely – curved soffit Steel Beams section encasement by Reactive powder concrete (RPC) with laced reinforcement. The encasement of the Asymmetrical Castellated concavely – curved soffit Steel Beams consists of, flanges unstiffened element height was filled with RPC for each side, and laced reinforced which are used inclined continuous reinforcement of two layers on each side of the Asymmetrical Castellated concavely – curved soffit Steel Beams web. The inclination angle of lacing reinforcement concerning the longitudinal axis is 45. Seven specimens with seven different configurations will be prepared and tested under two concentrated loads at the mid-third of the beam span. The tested specimen's properties are: unconfined Asymmetrical Castellated Steel Beams (Reference1), second model; Asymmetrical Castellated concavely – curved soffit Steel Beams (web and flange) confined with (RPC) only, third model; Asymmetrical Castellated concavely – curved soffit Steel Beams (web and flange) confined with (RPC) and laced reinforcement, fourth model; is same as the third model but it has one web opening with increase the depth of web post by 10 %, 20%, and 30 % as a gap between top and bottom parts of Asymmetrical Castellated concavely – curved soffit Steel Beams respectively. The results that have been obtained from the experimental part and the numerical analysis results by ABAQUS demonstrated that the increase of the gap leads to an increase in the load against the deflection curve. Sample CB8 with 122 mm gap has gained the highest load against deflection when compared with either reference sample without gap and other samples with 65 mm and 105 mm gap for concavely–curved soffit Steel Beams.

Abstract: A new reinforced concrete foundation system is being proposed to store renewable energy through the compressed air energy storage technology. For this application, the concrete is required to resist considerable tensile strength and to have low air permeability, which is not observed in normal concrete. Therefore, this paper is proposing to use reactive powder concrete for the suggested foundation system. Reactive powder concrete (RPC) is obtained by introducing either micro-cementitious materials like silica fume or fine powders like crushed quartz into the concrete mixture from where coarse aggregates had been removed. RPC has low water content and dense particle packing which lead to high strength and low air permeability characteristics. This paper conducts preliminary experimental investigations on the strength and air permeability of the RPC. Two important mix design parameters are studied including water-to-binder ratio ad silica fume content. Preliminary correlations between mix design parameters and strength/air permeability are developed. From the preliminary test results, it is concluded that the reactive powder concrete has potential to meet the high strength and low air permeability requirements, and is suitable for the proposed energy storage foundation system.

Abstract: The number of existing structures under repair and rehabilitation has extensively increased over the past two decades; these structures typically require performance enhancements including durable and safe repair and strengthening. The experimental program aimed to investigate the bond strength at the joint surfaces between conventional concrete substrate as existing concrete and reactive powder concrete RPC as new overlay concrete. Pull off test was used to quantify the direct tension of the bond strength. Different surfaces roughness were used for existing concrete. The obtained results, clearly showed that, RPC could be linked excellent to the existing concrete at early age; as a result, all failures occurred through the existing concrete, regardless of the surface roughness of existing concrete. RPC could be used as an excellent overlay concrete for increasing the durability at joint surfaces of the strengthened structural system.

Abstract: Concrete slab in the negative moment area of continuous steel-concrete composite beams is prone to crack due to the low tension strength of common concrete, which could result in the decreasing of the strength and durability. To solve this problem, a method of replacing the concrete slab with reactive powder concrete (RPC) slab which is of super high strength, durability, toughness and volume stabilization is presented. According to the constitutive relation and the high tension strength of RPC, the normal section failure mode is defined as the critical crack state, and the calculation formula of ultimate bearing capacity is deduced. Finally, some parameters that influence the ultimate bearing capacity are analyzed, such as the height ratio of RPC slab to whole beam, width ratio of RPC slab to steel beam, and the ratio of reinforcement of RPC slab. Compared with the steel-concrete composite beams, it is indicated that in the precondition of RPC slab unallowable crack in negative moment area, the ultimate bearing capacity of steel-RPC composite beams can still be increased, and the crack resistance, stiffness and durability can all be enhanced greatly.

Abstract: As an ultra-high performance concrete, reactive powder concrete (RPC) has broad practical application prospects. In this paper, phosphorus slag (PS) powder is utilized as one reactive component to prepare RPC. The effect of the PS content and water-binder ratio on the strength (flexure and compression) of concrete mixtures containing PS and silica fume (SF) is investigated. The results show that utilization of PS powder and SF in RPC production is feasible. RPC samples whose content of PS was about 30%-35% (by weight of binder) and water-binder ratio (W/B) was 0.16 were prepared after they had been cured at 95°C for 3 days. The compressive and flexural strength of those samples was 21.2 MPa and 142.2 MPa respectively.

Abstract: The temperature and stress fields of reactive powder concrete under high temperature are investigated using finite element analysis software COMSOL MULTIPHYSICS. In this simulation, the influence of variation of thermal parameters with temperature on the temperature and stress distribution is taken into account. The temperature and stress distribution are obtained. And the variation rule of numerical results shows very good agreement with the experimental data.

Abstract: The explosive spalling of high-strength concrete due to fire is a problem that has garnered increasingly widespread attention, particularly the explosive spalling of reactive powder concrete (RPC). For years, based on the vapor pressure mechanism, the addition of fibers has been demonstrated to be somewhat effective in protecting against spalling. However, relevant experiments indicate that fibers are not effective for dense concrete, which is a challenge for the simple vapor pressure mechanism in providing spalling resistance for RPC. The authors found that silica fume plays an important role in the explosive spalling of RPC. Thus, four classes of RPCs with different ratios of silica fume were prepared, and the spalling phenomena and the inner temperature distribution during heating were investigated. The results show that silica fume content has a prominent effect on the spalling process of RPC.

Abstract: The pore structure characteristics of reactive powder concrete (RPC) were investigated by means of the mercury injection method at seven temperature levels, namely, 20°C, 100°C, 150°C, 200°C, 250°C, 300°C, 350°C, respectively. The characteristic parameters such as porosity, pore volume, average pore size and threshold aperture varied with temperatures were analyzed. The results indicate that the porosity, pore volume, threshold aperture and other characteristic parameters of RPC increased with the temperature increasing.