Numerical evaluation of the thermo-mechanical response of shallow reinforced concrete beams
Mazen Ali Musmar · Advances in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics · 2013
A precise understanding of the thermo-mechanical response of shallow reinforced concrete beams is necessary to be able to design the proper sections for the shallow flexural elements, that could serve their intended purpose, in terms of safety and serviceability requirements, keeping in my mind the dominant use of ribbed slabs with concealed shallow beams in many countries. The study involves building a finite element structural model of a shallow reinforced concrete beam for the evaluation of the structural performance and thermal cracking at different temperatures. Material nonlinearity is taken into account because of the changes in material properties experienced in fire. The more complicated aspects of structural behaviour in fire conditions, such as thermal expansion, transient state strains in the concrete, cracking or crushing of concrete, yielding of steel are modelled.