Flexural behavior of beams with confinement

Abstract

The principal aim of this paper is to examine, both theoretically and experimentally, the flexural behavior of structural concrete beams in which confinement stirrups have been introduced into the compression regions. The laboratory-based part of the investigation included 12 under-reinforced beams, eight of which had the concrete compression regions, as defined by the compression force path (CFP) concept, confined with rectangular closed stirrups. The remaining beams were traditionally detailed. In a comparison with traditionally detailed beams, the presence of confinement was shown to increase the ductility of the beams; however, no comparable increase was found in their respective flexural capacities. A method for the evaluation of the flexural capacity of beams in which confinement of the compression regions is present has been proposed. A method for the design of over-reinforced beams utilizing the …