Flexural behavior of concrete beams cast with high-performance materials

The use of ultra-high strength concrete (UHSC) is advantageous in construction. In fact, a combination of UHSC with regular reinforcement steel still has problems with corrosion after years in service, typically in exposed structures. This effect is more profound by climate changes (i.e., extensive heat waves or unexpected long and cold winter). This research investigates the flexural performance of concrete beams, cast with UHSC and high-performance reinforcement (HPR) steel; which is characterized by its high-strength and high-corrosion resistance. The testing matrix consisted of 8 concrete beams, cast with UHSC and high-strength concrete (HSC), in combination with ASTM A1035 Grade 830 steel and ASTM A615 Grade 420 steel. For each flexural test, along with measuring the applied loading and deflection, the variation in concrete compressive strain and steel tensile strain were monitored through a number of strain gauges. Experimental results revealed that Grade 830 can enhance the flexural capacity by 33% as compared to Grade 420 steel. On the other hand, UHSC can enhance the flexural capacity by 11% and decrease the concrete strains by up to 26% as compared to HSC.