Shear behaviour of reinforced concrete deep beams with palm kernel shell as coarse aggregate: a finite element approach

Abstract

This study calibrates a finite element model for shear-critical reinforced concrete deep beams with palm kernel shells as coarse aggregate. A total of three simply supported beams under three point loading are employed. Experimental results in terms of failure behaviour, load-deflection characteristics, crack patterns and ductility are compared with prediction from the finite element model. Results indicated that modelling the composite behaviour of palm kernel shell aggregate in concrete, as well as micro cracks, is critical for stiffness degradation. The prediction of the experimental ultimate failure loads from the finite element model, provided better estimates than those from theoretical code-based predictions, based on the square root of sum of squared errors. In addition, the ductility capacities of such beams are partly influenced by the amount of shear reinforcement and compressive strength.