Experimental Study of Concrete Class Influence on Cracks Openings

Abstract

The aim of this experimental work is to study reinforced concrete continuous beams cracking by considering different classes of concretes. As it is well known, the design of reinforced concrete structures considers three limit states (limit state of collapse, limit state of strain and limit state of cracking). The cracks in reinforced concrete structures are admitted in the phase II (cracked sections). Thus, the phenomenon of cracks can be treated as a normal state only when the cracks opening is limited to avoid a permanent risk of collapse and ensure durability for the civil engineering constructions. Tests on real scale reinforced concrete continuous beams were carried out under concentrated loads increasing from zero up to collapse. The influence of the concrete classes on crack opening has been investigated.