Effect of corrosion of lap-spliced steel reinforcement on the flexural strength of reinforced concrete beams

Abstract

The study aimed to investigate the effect of corrosion on the flexural strength of reinforced concrete (RC) beams with steel lap-splicing in the central constant moment region. A total of 24 RC 100 × 165 × 1500 mm beams were cast each for SANS10100-1 and Eurocode 2. Out of the 24 RC beams, 12 RC beams were cast for each design code (6 with lap-splicing and 6 without spliced flexural reinforcement). Accelerated chloride-induced corrosion was used to induce steel corrosion in the in the central constant moment region. Only 6 RC beams were corroded for each design code, the remaining 6 were used for reference purposes. All beams were tested for ultimate strength using a 4-point bending configuration. The applied load, mid-span deflection and mode of failure were recorded until failure load was reached. The results showed an increase in deflection and a decrease in ultimate strength in the corrosion-damaged specimens. The failure mode of non-lapped beams remained ductile, while on lap-spliced beams the failure mode changed from ductile to brittle. The corroded bars were physically measured using a Vernier Caliper for the determination of corrosion degree