Title:
Influence of Steel fibers on the Shear Resistance of Lightweight Concrete I-Beams
Author(s):
R. Narayam Swamy, Roy Jones, and Andy T. P. Chiam
Publication:
Structural Journal
Volume:
90
Issue:
1
Appears on pages(s):
103-114
Keywords:
beams (supports); fiber reinforced concrete; I-beams; lightweight concretes; reinforcing steels; shear properties; Structural Research
DOI:
10.14359/4201
Date:
1/1/1993
Abstract:
Assesses the effectiveness of steel fibers used alone as shear reinforcement in lightweight concrete beams. The tests were carried out on full-size I-beams with thin webs and varying tension steel and shear span. The fibers reduced the beam deformations substantially at all load levels, controlled dowel and shear cracking, reduced spalling in the cover, and helped to preserve the ductility and overall integrity of the structural member. The ultimate shear strength was increased by amounts of 60 to 200 percent, but flexural failure was achieved only in beams with 1.55 percent tension steel and in beams with 2.76 percent tension steel tested at large shear spans. A truss model is proposed to predict the ultimate shear strength, and it is shown that the model predicts satisfactorily the shear resistance of both lightweight and normal weight concrete beams.