Flexural Strength and Behavioral Study of High-Performance Concrete Beams using Stress-Block Parameters

Most of the existing codes are using stress block parameters which were derived for normal strength concrete. Rectangular stress-block parameters used for normal strength concrete cannot be used safely for higher grade concrete like HPC, hence new stress-block parameters are established from the experimental investigations. Theses parameters can be made very much useful in the design of HPC members. Present research aims at behaviour study of HPC using stress block parameters. High performance concrete single span beams were tested under monotonic four-point bending. Considering the experimental stress-strain curves of HPC for grade 60, 80 and 100 MPa, an idealized stress block curve is established and the stress block parameters are derived. Based on the idealized stress block curve, the equations for ultimate moment of resistance, depth of neutral axis, limiting moment of resistance and maximum depth of neutral axis are proposed. Based on the observation of experimental load deformation curves, an ideal load deformation curve is proposed, which follows four significant events identified as, first cracking, yielding of reinforced steel, crushing of concrete with spalling of cover and ultimate failure. The predicted values compare well with the experimental values. The average location of the first crack observed was at 0.535 times the span of the beam from the left support of the observer in the tension zone.