Load-strain response of reinforced concrete plate member under service load state

This paper proposes a mechanical model to describe the load-strain response of the reinforced concrete plate member in the orthogonal reinforcement with arbitrary direction under service load state. An analytical method is introduced on the basis of the rotating crack model which considers equilibrium, compatibility conditions, load-strain relationship of cracked member, and constitutive law for materials. The tension stiffening effect in reinforced concrete structures is taken into account by the average tensile stress-strain relationship from the load-strain relationship for the cracked member and the constitutive law for material. The strain compatibility is used to find out the crack direction because the crack direction is an unknown variable in the equilibrium and compatibility conditions. The proposed theory is verified by the numerous experimental data such as the crack direction, load-steel strain relationship. The present paper can provide some basis for the provision of the definition of serviceability for plate structures of which reinforcements are deviated from the principal loads, because the present code defines the serviceability for the skeletal members. The proposed theory is applicable to predict the responses of service load state for a variety of reinforced concrete plate structures such as skew slab bridge, the upper and lower flange of curved box girder bridge and the deck of skew girder bridge.