Experimental Research on the Impact Resistance of Partially Precast Concrete Beams Strengthened with Bonded Steel Plates

A structure may be exposed to a range of unexpected loads throughout its full life cycle. Partially precast concrete (PC) beams refer to the process of manufacturing concrete beams in which one part of the component is pre-fabricated in a factory and the other part is completed at the construction site. Through the test, it is possible to better ensure the safety and dependability of the PC composite beams under impact load by examining the reinforcement effect, structural toughness, and damage mode of PC composite beams with bonded steel. Additionally, a scientific basis and practical guidance are provided for the actual project. Their impact resistance can significantly affect the overall safety of a structure when subjected to an impact load. Three of the four PC beams used in this investigation were strengthened with steel plates. Residual flexural bearing capacity tests and drop weight impact tests were then conducted. The impacts of steel plate thickness and U-shaped steel plate hoops on the failure mechanism and dynamic response of the component were investigated. The dynamic responses obtained from the experiments included the displacement-time history curve, impact force, and support reaction force. In order to explore the failure mechanism of the partially precast beam during the impact process, a staged analysis was conducted based on the failure mode and dynamic response characteristic values of each curve. Residual flexural bearing capacity tests were used to examine the residual flexural bearing capacity of PC beams strengthened with bonded steel plates. The results of the research reveal that the failure mechanisms of each test beam are bending-shear failures. With the increase in bonded steel thickness, the peak mid-span displacement reduced by 6.55%, the residual mid-span displacement decreased by 29.53%, and the residual flexural bearing capacity improved by 25.02%. With the adoption of U-shaped steel plate hoops, the residual flexural bearing capacity significantly increased while the peak mid-span and residual mid-span displacements both decreased.

Automated summary

Through experiments, it was found that partially precast concrete (PC) beams strengthened with bonded steel can better ensure their safety and reliability under impact load. The study examined the reinforcement effect, structural toughness, and damage mode of PC composite beams and provided a scientific basis and practical guidance for actual projects.