Comparison of flexural beam behavior due to monotonic loading and loading-unloading scheme

Abstract

Abstract Reinforced concrete is a construction material used frequently in Indonesia to build structural members especially beam structures. As one of the structural members, a beam should be able to carry flexural and shear loading as well as distribute the loading to the column and eventually to the foundation. In order to avoid structural failure in design, the reinforced concrete beam is continuously studied. This research investigates its behavior at monotonic loading and loading-unloading schemes. A point load was applied at the midspan of the simply supported beam. The result showed that the beam subjected to monotonic loading has a slightly overestimated value compared to the beam at loading-unloading condition The first crack load, the yielding load, and the ultimate load at monotonic loading were observed as 6.9%, 6.5%, and 8.2% higher than the result during loading-unloading situations. Crack patterns occurred at both monotonic loading and loading-unloading scheme equally showed that the beam experienced flexural failure. However, the crack at monotonic loading propagated more spread out than the crack happened during the loading-unloading scheme which was more concentrated at the plastic hinge located near the column.