Structural Behavior of Massive Reinforced Concrete Structures Exposed to Thermomechanical Loads

Zhu Ma, Changzheng Shi, Hegao Wu and Songzi Liu
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Zhu Ma: State Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
Changzheng Shi: State Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
Hegao Wu: State Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
Songzi Liu: Collage of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 7, 1-18

Abstract: Massive reinforced concrete (MRC) structures are utilized in a variety of applications where both mechanical and thermal properties are of concern. A 1:2 large-scale test model of the steel-lined reinforced concrete penstock (a kind of MRC) and a coupled thermomechanical numerical analysis are both implemented to investigate the thermomechanical effects on structural behavior. Three different temperature fields and eight temperature gradients are selected to explore how the temperature affects the crack width, steel stress, and deformation. The results show that the numerical simulation results are consistent with the experimental results and that this method can be applied to other similar MRC structure analysis. The thermal effect can cause 10 −3 ~10 −2 mm thermal crack width and ±45 MPa thermal stress and this may lead the total crack width to exceed the limited value and the reinforcement stress beyond the yield strength. Consequently, the influence of the thermomechanical loads cannot be ignored and the corresponding temperature control measures must be taken to ensure structural safety and durability.

Keywords: thermal–mechanical coupling analysis; massive reinforced concrete structure; steel-lined reinforced concrete penstock; large-scale prototype model test; thermomechanical cohesive zone model; different temperature fields; crack width; finite element analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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