Crack development in transverse loaded base-restrained reinforced concrete walls

• Published in: Engineering structures Vol. 143; pp. 522 - 539
• Main Authors: Micallef, M., Vollum, R.L., Izzuddin, B.A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 15.07.2017; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Aspect ratio; Bending; Concrete structures; Contraction; Crack spacing; Crack width; Cracks; Deflection; Early-age thermal; Edge restraint; Finite element method; Laboratory tests; Long-term shrinkage; Nonlinear analysis; Numerical modelling; Reinforced concrete; Reinforced concrete walls; Reinforcement; Shrinkage; Studies; Thermal contraction; Walls; Laboratory tests; Edge restraint; Crack width; Reinforced concrete walls; Long-term shrinkage; Crack spacing; Early-age thermal; Numerical modelling
• ISSN: 0141-0296; 1873-7323
• DOI: 10.1016/j.engstruct.2017.04.035

•Laboratory tests on thermal and shrinkage cracking in edge-restrained walls.•Good crack width predictions obtained with NLFEA.•NLFEA shows significant influence of wall geometry on crack widths.•Influence of reinforcement ratio on crack widths confirmed. The prediction and control of crack widths in reinforced concrete structures has been the subject of research for many years. However, there is still a lack of consensus on the design of reinforcement for crack control in walls with edge restraint. The paper describes an experimental programme undertaken to investigate the influence of early-age thermal contraction and long-term shrinkage on cracking in four edge-restrained reinforced concrete walls loaded in bending about their major axis. Bending was introduced as a result of initial preload as well as restraint of deflection due to volumetric change. The walls measured 3500mm long by 180mm thick with heights of 500mm and 750mm. The paper highlights the main findings of the experimental programme and presents the results of nonlinear finite element analysis that was carried out to investigate the effects of wall geometry and reinforcement ratio on crack widths in edge-restrained walls. Results suggest that crack widths in edge-restrained walls are significantly influenced by the wall geometric properties such as wall aspect ratio and wall height which are only indirectly accounted for through the restraint factor in crack width calculations to EN 1992.