Experimental Study On Mechanical Behavior Of Concrete Beams Reinforced With V-Shaped Rebar

V-shaped rebar refers to rebar with a wavelike bulge. The V-shaped rebar will be straightened under tension, which enables the rebar undergo large tensile deformation. Concrete beams reinforced with the V-shaped rebar show weakened flexural capacity and enhanced rotational capacity, which provides a way of achieving the strong column and weak beam design approach in the reinforced concrete structures. This paper carried out a series of experiments and analysis including:1) Tensile tests were conducted to study how the strength of the base metal and the shape of rebar affect the tensile properties of the V-shaped rebar. The tensile curve based on the tests showed that before straightened the stress level in the rebar was low. The V-shaped rebar could undergo much larger tension after straightened. The V-shaped rebar may rupture before straightened due to the damage caused in the manufacturing process.2) A series of concrete beams of different shapes of rebar, stirrup spacing, numbers of V-shaped rebars, fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) strengthening methods, position of the V-shaped rebars and protecting devices were tested under static load. Synchronized with the tensile properties of the V-shaped rebar, the beams could not reach the ultimate bearing capacity until the V-shaped rebars straightened.3) The tension tests of V-shaped rebar and static loading tests of beams were simulated by finite element software ABAQUS. The results showed good agreement with the test results.