Experimental and Numerical Assessment of Reinforced Concrete Beams with Disturbed Depth

This paper investigates numerically and experimentally the performance of reinforced concrete (RC) beam with unequal depths subjected to combined bending and shear. Such beams can geometrically be considered for unleveled reinforced concrete (RC) floor slab-beam system. However, it may generate critical disturbances in stress flow at the re-entrant corner (i.e. location of drop in beam depth). This research investigates the use of shear reinforcement and geometric properties to enhance cracking characteristics, yielding, ultimate load-carrying capacity, and exhibiting ductile failure mode. Ten reinforced concrete (RC) beams were constructed and tested experimentally considering the following key parameters: recess length, depth of smaller beam nib, and amount and layout of shear reinforcement at re-entrant corner. Finite element analysis (FEA) with material non-linearity was conducted in two RC beams that were tested experimentally to validate the computer modelling. The FEA models were then extended to conduct a parametric study to investigate the influence of geometric parameters (beam shape and width) and amount and arrangement of shear reinforcement on the structural response. Results confirmed that geometric properties and ratio of shear reinforcement at the re-entrant region significantly affect the behavior of reinforced concrete beam with unequal depths in terms of first cracking, yielding level, ultimate load carrying capacity and mode of failure.