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Journal of Undergraduate Research

Keywords

reinforced concrete beams, tensile forces, flexure tests

College

Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering and Technology

Department

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Abstract

When a reinforced concrete beam is loaded it tends to sag or deflect. Because of this deflection, the bottom fibers of the beam are in tension while the top is compressed. Reinforcement (rebar) is placed in beams to resist tensile forces which concrete cannot support. Rebar can have adverse effects under certain conditions. If the concrete cracks, the steel will rust and expand causing increased cracking and strength loss. Other potential problems stem from steel’s density, magnetic properties and conductance. Currently, much research is being done in the area of composite reinforcement to solve these problems. Recent thesis research done at BYU by Rodney Blake has shown that the IsoTruss™-reinforced concrete columns performed exceptionally well in flexure tests. To advance this research, the geometry of the IsoTruss™ will be varied and adapted for inclusion in concrete beams. The replacement of steel with a variation of the basic IsoTruss™ should increase the strength, stiffness and toughness of the beam as well as reducing the beam’s weight.

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