Cyclic bond behavior in reinforced concrete flexural members exposed to elevated temperatures

After enduring fire incidents, many reinforced concrete (RC) structures require assessment of their ability to withstand future seismic loads. A critical factor contributing to seismic behavior of such structures is residual bond between steel and concrete under cyclic loading. This paper examines cyclic bond-slip behavior in RC flexural members that have experienced elevated temperatures. Twenty-six modified beam-end specimens with different diameters of longitudinal reinforcement, concrete strengths, and confinement levels were fabricated. The specimens were subjected to a variety of heating regimes and a natural cool down before loading of their longitudinal rebar in a monotonic or cyclic pattern. The decrease in bond strength after 2-hr exposure to tem-peratures of 400, 600, and 700 & DEG;C were 23, 58, and 65 percent for monotonic loading but 30, 60, and 65 percent for cyclic loading, respectively. Elevated temperatures also caused a decrease in slope and area of hysteretic bond-slip loops. Cyclic bond strength was 25-45% less than monotonic bond strength and better correlated with the residual compressive strength of concrete, unlike monotonic bond strength, which was better correlated with the square root of this property. A model was proposed for backbone bond-slip curves of RC flexural members that are exposed to elevated temperatures.