Structural Behavior of Reinforced Concrete Beams Containing Nanomaterials Subjected to Monotonic and Cyclic Loadings

Abstract

The use of nanomaterials improves the performance of reinforced concrete (RC) beams in terms of cracking load, failure load, and deflection. To further evaluate this improvement, the behavior of RC beams subjected to cyclic loading has to be experimentally investigated. In the present study, the effect of adding nanomaterials to RC beams was studied experimentally under monotonic and cyclic loadings. Eight RC beams with the dimensions of 2200 mm × 350 mm × 120 mm were prepared and divided into two groups. Both groups were tested under three-point bending, but one group was tested monotonously whereas the other group was tested cyclically. Each group consisted of four beams. The first beam in each group was tested without adding any nanomaterials. Nanotitanium, nanoaluminum, and nanosilica were added to the concrete mixes of the remaining three to replace 1% of the cement content. The performances of the tested beams were compared in terms of load-deflection curves, failure mode, cracking load, failure load, bending stiffness, toughness, and residual strength ratio (RSR). The results from both monotonic and cyclic loadings indicated better performances when nanotitanium was used.