Full-scale load testing for evaluating crack performance in precast prestressed concrete communication towers with annular sections

Tall prestressed concrete poles with annular cross-sections are increasingly used as communication towers. The annular section subjected to bending moments has a smaller extreme tension area, resulting in higher stress increments in the materials within this region. As slender concrete structures, t...

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Main Authors: Wuchuan Pu, Qishuo Zhang, Quan Jia, Wenfei Wei, Bo Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:Results in Engineering
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123024016475
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author Wuchuan Pu
Qishuo Zhang
Quan Jia
Wenfei Wei
Bo Li
author_facet Wuchuan Pu
Qishuo Zhang
Quan Jia
Wenfei Wei
Bo Li
author_sort Wuchuan Pu
collection DOAJ
description Tall prestressed concrete poles with annular cross-sections are increasingly used as communication towers. The annular section subjected to bending moments has a smaller extreme tension area, resulting in higher stress increments in the materials within this region. As slender concrete structures, their bending behavior and crack resistance performance need to be critically examined. However, large-scale tower structures have rarely been experimentally investigated. Moreover, current code-specified crack width calculation methods are designed for square sections, so their applicability to concrete members with annular sections requires further investigation. To address these issues, this study conducted full-scale static loading tests on two 30-meter-high tower structures made of prestressed high-strength concrete and evaluated the accuracy of code methods for estimating the maximum crack width. During the static loading tests, displacement, cracking moments, crack widths, and crack spacings were meticulously recorded, and a theoretical methodology for calculating the stress in the extreme tension bars was developed. Four calculation methods specified in structural codes were compared: the Concrete Design Code of China (GB50010), Eurocode 2, ACI 224R, and the Concrete Design Guideline of Japan (JGC2007). The experimental results showed that diameter significantly affects the stiffness and displacement of the structure, with reloading stiffness of the full-scale tower reducing by up to 11 % after exceeding the serviceability limit state. Regarding crack width prediction, substantial deviations were observed among the results of the four methods. On average, GB50010 underestimated crack widths, while JSCE, Eurocode 2, and ACI 224R overestimated them. Eurocode 2 and ACI 224R provided relatively conservative and accurate predictions. These findings highlight the need for improved and tailored code provisions for annular sections. It is also noted that the comparison was limited to crack widths <0.1 mm and a relatively small amount of data. Future research should focus on developing prediction methods specifically for prestressed concrete tower structures with annular sections.
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spelling doaj-art-bceb2d977ebd49478de362b5eedc22de2024-12-19T10:59:16ZengElsevierResults in Engineering2590-12302024-12-0124103395Full-scale load testing for evaluating crack performance in precast prestressed concrete communication towers with annular sectionsWuchuan Pu0Qishuo Zhang1Quan Jia2Wenfei Wei3Bo Li4School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China; Corresponding author.School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, ChinaHubei Branch of China Tower Co., Ltd., Wuhan, ChinaHuaxin Consulting Co., Ltd., Wuhan, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, ChinaTall prestressed concrete poles with annular cross-sections are increasingly used as communication towers. The annular section subjected to bending moments has a smaller extreme tension area, resulting in higher stress increments in the materials within this region. As slender concrete structures, their bending behavior and crack resistance performance need to be critically examined. However, large-scale tower structures have rarely been experimentally investigated. Moreover, current code-specified crack width calculation methods are designed for square sections, so their applicability to concrete members with annular sections requires further investigation. To address these issues, this study conducted full-scale static loading tests on two 30-meter-high tower structures made of prestressed high-strength concrete and evaluated the accuracy of code methods for estimating the maximum crack width. During the static loading tests, displacement, cracking moments, crack widths, and crack spacings were meticulously recorded, and a theoretical methodology for calculating the stress in the extreme tension bars was developed. Four calculation methods specified in structural codes were compared: the Concrete Design Code of China (GB50010), Eurocode 2, ACI 224R, and the Concrete Design Guideline of Japan (JGC2007). The experimental results showed that diameter significantly affects the stiffness and displacement of the structure, with reloading stiffness of the full-scale tower reducing by up to 11 % after exceeding the serviceability limit state. Regarding crack width prediction, substantial deviations were observed among the results of the four methods. On average, GB50010 underestimated crack widths, while JSCE, Eurocode 2, and ACI 224R overestimated them. Eurocode 2 and ACI 224R provided relatively conservative and accurate predictions. These findings highlight the need for improved and tailored code provisions for annular sections. It is also noted that the comparison was limited to crack widths <0.1 mm and a relatively small amount of data. Future research should focus on developing prediction methods specifically for prestressed concrete tower structures with annular sections.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123024016475Prestressed precast concrete polesFull-scale testingCrack widthCrack spacing, annular section
spellingShingle Wuchuan Pu
Qishuo Zhang
Quan Jia
Wenfei Wei
Bo Li
Full-scale load testing for evaluating crack performance in precast prestressed concrete communication towers with annular sections
Results in Engineering
Prestressed precast concrete poles
Full-scale testing
Crack width
Crack spacing, annular section
title Full-scale load testing for evaluating crack performance in precast prestressed concrete communication towers with annular sections
title_full Full-scale load testing for evaluating crack performance in precast prestressed concrete communication towers with annular sections
title_fullStr Full-scale load testing for evaluating crack performance in precast prestressed concrete communication towers with annular sections
title_full_unstemmed Full-scale load testing for evaluating crack performance in precast prestressed concrete communication towers with annular sections
title_short Full-scale load testing for evaluating crack performance in precast prestressed concrete communication towers with annular sections
title_sort full scale load testing for evaluating crack performance in precast prestressed concrete communication towers with annular sections
topic Prestressed precast concrete poles
Full-scale testing
Crack width
Crack spacing, annular section
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123024016475
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AT quanjia fullscaleloadtestingforevaluatingcrackperformanceinprecastprestressedconcretecommunicationtowerswithannularsections
AT wenfeiwei fullscaleloadtestingforevaluatingcrackperformanceinprecastprestressedconcretecommunicationtowerswithannularsections
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