Flexural Behavior of Hollow Reinforced Concrete Encased Steel Tube Composite Beams

Abstract

The main objective of the research program, presented in this thesis, is to study the behavior of slender precast L-shaped spandrel beams, reinforced with open stirrup configurations instead of closed stirrups configurations, and subjected to combined bending, shear and torsion. Current codes and guidelines typically require heavily congested, closed stirrup for specimens subjected to combined bending, shear and torsion regardless of how the level of the torsion stress occurred in the element is. The element may be subjected to torsion however, this induced torsion may not be the major internal forces that led to failure or by another way the torsion failure is not the govern mode of failure for this element.