Experimental and Explicit FE Studies on Flexural Behavior of Superposed Slabs

• Published in: Buildings (Basel) Vol. 15; no. 10; p. 1758
• Main Authors: Ye, Qi, Zhang, Ping, Ye, Ke, Wang, Wei, Li, Zeshen, Gao, Yueqing, Xie, Tianyu, Liang, Chaofeng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.05.2025
• Subjects: Analysis; Bearing capacity; Behavior; Bricks; Building materials industry; Cement; Compression tests; Concrete; Concrete mixes; Concrete mixing; Concrete slabs; explicit algorithm; Finite element method; flexural performance test; Fly ash; Mathematical models; Mechanical properties; Mixtures; Performance evaluation; Powder; recycled concrete superposed slab; Recycled materials; recycled micronized powder; Simulation; Simulation methods; Slabs; Slurries; Strain hardening; Stress-strain curves; Ultimate loads; China
• ISSN: 2075-5309; 2075-5309
• DOI: 10.3390/buildings15101758

This study explores the use of recycled brick powder (PRB), derived from waste bricks, and calcined recycled slurry powder (PCRS), sourced from waste cement blocks, as partial replacements for cement and fly ash in concrete. These materials can be utilized to produce concrete with favorable engineering properties. Five concrete mixtures with varying PRB/PCRS proportions were prepared. Uniaxial monotonic compression tests were conducted to generate stress-strain curves for each mixture. Corresponding physical superposed slabs were fabricated, and finite element (FE) models were developed for each slab. Both physical testing and explicit FE simulations were performed to evaluate the flexural performance of the slabs. The results demonstrated that the flexural performance of the PRB/PCRS recycled micro-powder concrete slabs was comparable to that of conventional concrete slabs. Notably, the slab incorporating a 1:1 mixture of PRB and PCRS instead of fly ash exhibited the highest yield and ultimate bearing capacities, reaching 99.3% and 98.4% of those of the conventional concrete slab, respectively. The FE simulations accurately predicted the flexural performance, with maximum deviations of 8.9% for the yield load and 6.5% for the ultimate load. Additionally, the simulation-based energy time-history curve provides valuable insights into the progression of slab cracking. This study contributes to the advancement of research on the engineering and mechanical performance of concrete members incorporated with PRB/PCRS.