The influence of simultaneous action of the aggressive environment and loading on strength of RC beams

Abstract

The article is devoted to an experimental research of the strength of reinforced concrete beams, and its dependence on a simultaneous influence of a corrosion environment and a loading factor. The tests have been carried out upon reinforced concrete specimens of 2100×200×100 mm size, with a regular reinforcement. The beams are of a span equaling to 1,9m with different reinforcing ratio of beams. The acid environment, namely 10 % H2SO4, was taken as a model of an aggressive environment. Reinforced concrete beams have been tested with and without the co-action of the aggressive environment and loading factor. Beams, which underwent a simultaneous action of the corrosive environment and loading, were loaded to a level 0.7 of its load-carrying capacity. The load-carrying capacity in aggressive environment in all the beams of all the series was achieved in 46-60 days. The influence of the simultaneous action of the aggressive environment and loading on the strength of reinforced-concrete beams has been described in the following work. It is necessary to note that the design code of Ukraine does not allow determining load carrying capacity of the beams affected by corrosion with simultaneous influence of loading with adequate accuracy. The analysis of experimental data has been done and the main directions of the design code’s correction have been formulated.