Neutral Axis Depth versus Ductility and Plastic Rotation Capacity on Bending in Lightweight-Aggregate Concrete Beams

This article presents an experimental study on the evolution of the neutral axis depth at failure in the critical section with the flexural ductility and plastic rotation capacity of reinforced concrete (RC) lightweight-aggregate concrete (LWAC) beams. For this, the results of a previous experimental program involving RC LWAC beams tested in flexure until failure are used. The variable studies were the concrete compressive strength (between 22.0 and 60.4 MPa and dry density between 1651 and 1953 kg/m3) and the longitudinal tensile reinforcement ratio (between 0.13% and 2.69%). The flexural ductility and the plastic rotation capacity of the RC LWAC beams are characterized by a ductility index and a plastic trend parameter, respectively. The influence of the variable studies, as well as the relation of the flexural ductility and plastic rotation capacity with the values for the neutral axis depth at failure are analyzed and discussed. Some conclusions are drawn which can be useful for the design of RC LWAC beams for flexure. In particular, it is shown that the practical rule of limiting the neutral axis depth at failure to ensure ductile behavior, as used in normal-weight aggregate concrete beams, is also valid for RC LWAC beams.

Damage Detection and Evaluation for an In-Service Shield Tunnel Based on the Monitored Increment of Neutral Axis Depth Using Long-Gauge Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors

It is difficult to detect and evaluate the structural damage in a shield tunnel during operation because many traditional techniques based on the observation of vibrations are limited in daily monitoring in tunnels. Thus, the curvature radius of a static longitudinal settlement curve is used to identify the residual health and safety of an in-service shield tunnel. However, there are still two problems. The curvature radius is suitable for a qualitative judgment rather than a quantitative evaluation for longitudinal damage detection. Moreover, the curvature radius, which is calculated from the measured settlements of three neighboring points, gives an average damage degree in a wide scope only and is difficult to use to identify the damage’s precise location. By means of the analysis of three kinds of longitudinal failure modes in a shield tunnel, this paper proposes: (1) a damage detection method based on the monitored increment of the neutral axis depth; and (2) an index to evaluate longitudinal damage. The index is composed of the residual ratios of the equivalent flexural stiffness (HFM1) and the equivalent shear stiffness (HFM3). The neutral axis position and the proposed damage index can be determined using long-gauge Fiber Bragg Grating sensors. Results from numerical simulations show that the deviation between the HFM1 and the true value residual ratio of the equivalent flexural stiffness is no more than 1.7%. The HFM3 is equal to its true value in the entire damage process. A loading experiment for a scaled-down model of a shield tunnel using long-gauge Fiber Bragg Grating sensors indicated that the errors in the HFM1 were no more than 5.0% in the case of early damage development (HFM1 ≥ 0.5). The maximum error did not exceed 9.0% even under severe damage conditions in the model. Meanwhile, the HFM3 also coincided with its true value in the entire testing process.