Investigation of Strain of Steel Reinforcement of Modular Flexural Member at Discontinuity Interface

Abstract

The modular structure has a discontinuity owing to the joint between the modules; thus, structural behavior verification is required. In this study, the tensile behavior of a steel reinforcement at the discontinuity interface was evaluated in the joint of a modular flexural member. The modular specimen was fabricated with a 400 mm joint, and an integral specimen was fabricated with the same specifications as the modular specimen, without a joint. The largest crack width of the integral specimen was measured at the center of the beam, and that of the modular specimen was measured at the discontinuity interface. The maximum crack width of the modular specimen was greater than that of the integral specimen. The strain of the steel reinforcement was estimated using the measured crack width and six formulas for evaluating the crack width. The estimated strain of the modular specimen was higher than that of the integral specimen, and the deformation of the steel reinforcement at the discontinuity interface was accelerated with the increasing load. Therefore, the tensile load was concentrated at the discontinuity interface in the modular specimen, and the steel reinforcement at the discontinuity interface was likely to yield earlier than the integral specimen.