Performance of Hollow Core Concrete Slab reinforced by embedded steel tubes

Abstract

The aims of this paper are gaining additive knowledge about using steel tubes as reinforcement for hollow-core concrete slabs. For this purpose, this paper presents an investigation of how one-way concrete slabs would behave after embedding steel tubes within the cross section. Five concrete slabs were cast, these specimens differ from one another in the horizontal distance (spacing) between the two steel tubes placed within its cross section, steel tubes positioned in the center of the shorter lane of the specimen (width) which is 400 mm, the steel tubes spaced from each other with 4 different configurations, they were 0, 100, 200 and 300 mm. The ratio of the clear spacing between the two tubes and to the total width of the specimen is indicated (s/b) equal to (0, 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75). In addition to one solid slab cast and tested as a reference for the testing results. All five concrete slabs were loaded up to failure by submitting load at one point at the center of the slab. Only one variable was deemed to be considered and checked on this study which is the (s/b) ratio defined earlier. The results exhibit that, using steel tubes as reinforcement increase the first crack load by 12.75% compared to the reference slab, as well as increasing the ultimate load capacity by 59.02% compared to the reference slab. As for the mid-span deflection, the specimens with steel tubes embedded decreased the deflection values up to 47.37 %.