Prediction of corrosion-induced concrete cracking under external loading and stirrup constraint

• Published in: Construction & building materials Vol. 266; p. 121053
• Main Authors: Zhao, Y.X., Wang, Y.Z., Dong, J.F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 10.01.2021
• Subjects: cracking model; loading; steel corrosion; stirrups; steel corrosion; stirrups; loading; cracking model
• ISSN: 0950-0618; 1879-0526
• DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.121053

•Effect of external loading on steel corrosion-induced concrete cracking is assessed.•Effects of stirrup constraint on internal cracking and steel corrosion are analysed.•Corrosion-induced concrete cracking is redefined as complete cracking region.•Modified external loading/stirrup constraint-based concrete cracking model is proposed. In this study, the corrosion-induced concrete cracking in three concrete beams with stirrups under external loading coupled with accelerated corrosion was investigated. The experimental results reveals that the external loading leads to earlier corrosion-induced concrete cracking. The stirrup constraint was found to have a significant influence on both the distribution and propagation of cracking and the longitudinal corrosion of steel. With quantitatively considering the effects of external loading and stirrups, an analytical model was developed to predict corrosion-induced concrete cracking and the results of which were shown to be in satisfactory agreement with experimental results.