---

This study evaluates two different types of techniques for concrete hollow-block sections reinforced with traditional steel rebars and wire meshes, and compares their structural behaviour to that of an ordinary reinforced concrete beam section. The comparisons are based on the responses both before and after they were repaired with glass fibre reinforced polymers (GFRP). The specimens were subjected to concentrated loading up to initial failure. After failure, the specimens were repaired and loaded once again until ultimate failure. It was shown that the success of the repair by GFRP depended on the mode of failure of the hollow-block concrete beams.

---

In this paper the response of cantilevered reinforced concrete (RC) beams with smart rebars under static lateral loading has been numerically studied, using Finite Element Method. The material used in this study is SuperelasticShape Memory Alloys (SE SMAs) which contains nickel and titanium elements. The SE SMA is a unique alloy that has the ability to undergo large deformations and return to their undeformed shape by removal of stresses. In this study, different quantities of steel and smart rebars have been used for reinforcement andthe behavior of these models under lateral loading, including their load-displacement curves, residual displacements, and stiffness, were discussed. During lateral loading, rebars yield or concrete crushes in compression zone in some parts of the beams and also residual deflections are created in the structure. It is found that by using SMA rebars in RC beams, these materials tend to return to the previous state (zero strain), so they reduce the permanent deformations and also in turn create forces known as recovery forces in the structure which lead into closing of concrete cracks in tensile zone. This ability makes special structures to maintain their serviceability even after a strong earthquake

---

Experiments were carried out to observe the influence of loading type on concrete beam specimens. Beam specimens made of similar concrete mixture with the same geometry were tested under three point static loading and low velocity drop weight impact loading. Load – displacement behavior, absorbed energy dissipation capacity, stiffnesses, failure modes of beam specimens were obtained and discussed. A finite element (FE) model was prepared in ANSYS Explicit STR software and the results of FE analysis were compared with experimental results. The loading type and loading rate have significant influence on the maximum load, stiffness and energy dissipation capacity. Numerical results obtained from ANSYS Explicit STR FE models are consistent with the experimental results.

---

In order to investigate the flexural behaviors of RC beams after freeze-thaw cycles, compressive strength test of concrete cubes after 0, 50, 100, 125 freeze-thaw cycles were made, and static flexural experiment of 48 RC beams after 0, 50, 100, 125 freeze-thaw cycles were made. The relationships of relative compressive strength, mass loss rate, relative dynamic elastic modulus and numbers of freeze-thaw cycles were analyzed. The influences of different numbers of freeze-thaw cycles on the flexural behaviors of RC beams with different concrete grades were studied. The results show that concrete cubes’ mass, relative dynamic elastic modulus and compressive strength decrease with the increasing of freeze-thaw cycles, and high-strength grade concrete could slow down the damage caused by freeze-thaw cycles. Experimental values of test beams stiffness under short-term load were smaller than theory value. Some under-reinforced RC beams occurs over-reinforced failure mode after freeze-thaw cycles. Boundary reinforcement ratio of RC beams after certain numbers of freeze-thaw cycles was derived and its correctness was verified by experiment. Current code for design of concrete structures about crack load and ultimate load are still suitable for RC beams after freeze-thaw cycles.

---

This paper describes experimental and numerical investigations on two specimens of frames composed of steel reinforced concrete beam and angle-steel concrete column under horizontal low cyclic loading. Based on the test results, the relationship curves of the horizontal load-displacement and the failure modes are acquired. Meanwhile the hysteretic behaviors, skeleton curves, stiffness degradation, energy dissipation, residential deformation of the two specimens are studied. Nonlinear structural analysis program OpenSEES is employed to predict the experimental curves. Using the verified numerical model, the influences of slenderness ratio, axial compression ratio, steel ratio of column, cross-section moment resistance of I-shaped steel in beam, ratio of longitudinal rebars of beam and prestressing level on skeleton curves are investigated. The results indicated that the two specimens exhibited the favorable ductility and energy dissipation capacity, and the beam depth could be reduced to improve service function because of the application of the prestress. The ultimate horizontal load decreases with the increase of column slenderness ratio, and firstly increases then decreases with the increase of axial compression ratio. In the meantime, the descent segment of skeleton curve is smooth with the increase of column slenderness ratio, and becomes steeper with the increase of axial compression ratio.