In this study, plain concrete simply supported beams subjected to two points loading were analyzed for the flexure. The numerical model of the beam was constructed in the meso-scale representation of concrete as a two phasic material (aggregate, and mortar). The fracture process of the concrete beams under loading was investigated in the laboratory as well as by the numerical models. The Extended Finite Element Method (XFEM) was employed for the treatment of the discontinuities that appeared during the fracture process in concrete. Finite element method with the feature standard/explicitlywas utilized for the numerical analysis. Aggregate particles were assumedof elliptic shape. Other properties such as grading and sizes of the aggregate particles were taken from standard laboratory tests that conducted on aggregate samples.Two different concrete beamswere experimentally and numerically investigated. The difference between beams was concentrated in the maximum size of aggregate particles. The comparison between experimental and numerical results showed that themeso-scale model gives a good interface for the representing the concrete models in numerical approach. It was concluded that the XFEM is a powerful technique to use for the analysis of the fracture process and crack propagation in concrete.
In this research work, a new type of concrete based on sulfur-melamine modification was introduced, and its various properties were studied. This new type of concrete was prepared based on the sulfur-melamine modification and various ingredients. The new sulfur-melamine modifier was fabricated, and its fabrication was confirmed by IR spectroscopy and TG analysis. The surface morphology resulted from this modifier was studied by SEM and EDS analysis. The components ratios in concrete, chemical and physical characteristics resulted from sulfur-melamine modifier, chemical and corrosion resistance of concrete, stability of concrete against water adsorption, stability of concrete against freezing, physical and mechanical properties and durabi
... Show MoreThis experimental study demonstrates the gable-reinforced concrete beams’ behavior with several number of openings (six and eight) and posts’ inclination, aimed to find the strength reduction in this type of beam. The major results found are: for the openings extending over similar beam length it is better to increase the number of posts (openings),
Structural buildings consist of concrete and steel, and these buildings have confronted many challenges from various aggressive environments against the materials manufactured from them. It contains high water levels and buildings whose concrete cover may be damaged and thus lead to the deterioration and corrosion of steel. It was important to have an alternative to steel, such as the glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP), which is distinguished by its great effectiveness in resisting corrosion, as well as its strong tensile resistance. Still, one of its drawbacks is that it has a low modulus of elasticity. This research article aims to conduct a numerical study using the nonlinear fi
Applying load to a structural member may result in a bottle-shaped compression field especially when the width of the loading is less than the width of bearing concrete members. At the Building and Construction Department – the University of Technology-Iraq, series tests on fibre reinforced concrete specimens were carried out, subjected to compression forces at the top and bottom of the specimens to produce compression field. The effects of steel fibre content, concrete compressive strength, transverse tension reinforcement, the height of test specimen, and the ratio of the width of loading plate to specimen width were studied by testing a total of tenth normal strength concrete blocks with steel fibre and one normal s
... Show MoreOne of the most important problems that faces the concrete industry in Iraq is the deterioration due to internal sulfate attack , since it reduces the compressive strength and increases the expansion of concrete. Consequently, the concrete structure may be damage .The effects of total and total effective sulfate contents on high strength concrete (HSC) have been studied in the present study.
The research studied the effect of sulfate content in cement , sand and gravel , as well as comparing the total sulfate content with the total effective SO3 content. Materials used were divided into two groups of SO3 in cement ,three groups of SO3 in sand ,and two groups of SO
... Show MoreFree cement refractory concrete is a type of refractory concrete with replacing alumina cement by bonding materials such as white kaolin, red kaolin and fumed silica. The free cement refractory concrete used in many applications like Petrochemicals, iron furnaces and cement production industries. The research clarifies the effect of steel fibers with two types crimped steel fibers and hooked steel
fibers with percentages 0.5%, 1% and 1.5% by volume from weight of bauxite aggregates. The additions of steel fibers with two types gave good properties in high temperatures where the specimens keep the dimension without failure and the properties made the best. the percentage of increasing for thermal conductivity was 44% for 1.5% crimped
The present investigation considers the effect of curing temperatures (30, 40, and 50˚C) and curing compound method on compressive strength development of high performance concrete, and compares the results with concrete cured at standard conditions and curing temperature (21˚C). The experimental results showed that at early ages, the rate of strength development at high curing temperature is greater than at lower curing temperature, the maximum increasing percentage in compressive strength is 10.83% at 50C˚ compared with 21C˚ in 7days curing age. However, at later ages, the strength achieved at higher curing temperature has been less, and the maximum percentage of reduction has been 5.70% at curing temperature 50C˚ compared with 21
... Show MoreSelf-compacted concrete (SCC) is a highly flowable concrete, with no segregation which can be spread into place by filling the structures framework and permeate the reinforcement without any compaction or mechanical consolidation ACI 237R-14. One of the most important problems faced by concrete industry in Iraq and Gulf Arab land is deterioration due to internal sulfate attack (ISA) that causes damage of concrete and consequently reduces its compressive strength, increases expansion and may lead to its cracking and destruction. The experimental program was focused to study two ordinary Portland cements with different chemical composition with (5, 10 and 15) % percentage of high reactivity metakaoline (HRM)
... Show MorePortland cement is considered the most involved product in environmental pollution. It is responsible for about 10% of global CO2 emissions [1]. Limestone dust is a by-product of limestone plants and it is produced in thousands of tons annually as waste material. To fulfill sustainability requirements, concrete production is recommended to reduce Portland cement usage with the use of alternative or waste materials. The production of sustainable high strength concrete by using nanomaterials is one of the aims of this study. Limestone dust in 12, 16, and 20% by weight of cement replaced cement in this study. The study was divided into two parts: the first was devoted to the investigation of the best percentage of replacement of waste
... Show MoreThis paper demonstrates an experimental and numerical study aimed to compare the influence of openings of different configurations on the flexural behavior of prestressed concrete rafters. The experimental program consisted of testing six simply supported prestressed concrete rafters; 5 rafters are perforated, and the other one is solid as a reference. All rafters were tested under monotonic midpoint load. The variable which has been investigated in this work was the opening’s configuration (quadrilateral or circular) with the same upper and lower chords depths. The results indicate improvement in the beam flexural behavior using the circular openings compared to the quadrilateral o