Negative Moment Zone in UHPC-Strengthened Simply-Supported-to-Continuous Concrete Box Beams: Cracking Resistance Analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14311/CEJ.2026.01.0002Keywords:
Simply-supported to Continuous Concrete Box Beam, Negative Moment Zone, UHPC, Cracking ResistanceAbstract
In this study, to investigate the cracking resistance of UHPC-strengthened simply-supported-to-continuous concrete box beams in the negative moment zone, a total of nine specimens were designed: one reinforced concrete box beam (comparison beam), seven UHPC-RC composite box beams (reinforced beams), and one prestressed concrete box beam (prestressed beam). The research focuses on evaluating the influence of key parameters—including reinforcement ratio, UHPC casting length in the negative moment zone, UHPC thickness, and the joint configuration between UHPC and ordinary concrete—on the cracking resistance of these beams. The results demonstrate that, under the same reinforcement ratio, UHPC strengthening in the negative moment zone significantly enhances the cracking performance of the test beams, with the cracking load increasing by 46%. As the UHPC casting length increases, the maximum crack width at the vertical interface between the full normal concrete (NC) section and the UHPC-NC composite section decreases markedly. Additionally, increasing the UHPC thickness leads to a substantial reduction in the maximum crack width at both the UHPC-NC composite section and the intermediate diaphragm section.
Received: 28.05.2025
Received in revised form: 21.01.2026
Accepted: 19.03.2026
Downloads
References
Hu Tie - ming, He Cheng - kui, Chen Xiao - feng, et al., 2010. Fatigue experiment of concrete bridges strengthened by simple - supporting to continuous construction method. China Journal of Highway and Transport, vol. 23, p. 76. https://doi.org/10.19721/j.cnki.1001-7372.2010.05.012.
Nielson B G, DesRoches R., 2007. Seismic performance assessment of simply supported and continuous multispan concrete girder highway bridges. Journal of Bridge Engineering, vol. 12, p. 611 - 620. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1084-0702(2007)12:5(611)
Arrayago I, Real E., 2016. Experimental study on ferritic stainless steel simply supported and continuous beams. Journal of Constructional Steel Research, vol. 119, p. 50 - 62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2015.12.006
Mohamed A M, Mahmoud K, El - Salakawy E F., 2020. Behavior of simply supported and continuous concrete deep beams reinforced with GFRP bars. Journal of Composites for Construction, vol. 24, p. 04020032. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CC.1943-5614.0001039
Sun Q, Yang Y, Fan J, et al., 2014. Effect of longitudinal reinforcement and prestressing on stiffness of composite beams under hogging moments. Journal of Constructional Steel Research, vol. 100, p. 1 - 11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2014.04.017
Su Q, Yang G, Bradford M A., 2015. Behavior of a continuous composite box girder with a prefabricated prestressed - concrete slab in its hogging - moment region. Journal of Bridge Engineering, vol. 20, p. B4014004. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)BE.1943-5592.0000698
Chen S., 2005. Experimental study of prestressed steel–concrete composite beams with external tendons for negative moments. Journal of Constructional Steel Research, vol. 61, p. 1613 - 1630. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2005.05.005 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcsr.2005.05.005
Gong W, Li X, Ge Z, et al., 2023. Steel - concrete composite beams strengthened with NSM CFRP systems at the hogging - moment regions. Engineering Structures, vol. 292, p. 116576. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2023.116576
Liu X, Tang L, Jing Y, et al., 2022. Behaviour of continuous steel–concrete composite beams strengthened with CFRP sheets at hogging - moment region. Composite Structures, vol. 291, p. 115695. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2022.115695
Maghsoudi A A, Bengar H A., 2009. Moment redistribution and ductility of RHSC continuous beams strengthened with CFRP. Turkish Journal of Engineering & Environmental Sciences, vol. 33, p. 1. https://doi.org/10.3906/MUH-0901-6
Abdullah A Q, Mansor A A, Mohammed A S, et al., 2021. Hybrid and external strengthening of T - reinforced concrete beams under negative bending moment using steel plates and CFRP. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, vol. 856, p. 012027. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/856/1/012027
Gholamhoseini A, Khanlou A, MacRae G, et al., 2018. Short - term behaviour of reinforced and steel fibre–reinforced concrete composite slabs with steel decking under negative bending moment. Advances in Structural Engineering, vol. 21, p. 1288 - 1301. https://doi.org/10.1177/1369433217739710
Liu R, Yang Y, Zhou X., 2018. Experimental study on fatigue performance of composite beam with steel - plate - concrete composite decks. Construction and Building Materials, vol. 188, p. 833 - 849. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2018.08.108
Ibrahim A, Salem S, Khalil A, et al., 2020. Experimental Investigation for Moment Redistribution in Continuous RC Beams Top Strengthened with CFRP and Steel Plates. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, vol. 809, p. 012007. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/809/1/012007
Lin W, Yoda T, Taniguchi N, et al., 2014. Mechanical performance of steel - concrete composite beams subjected to a hogging moment. Journal of Structural Engineering, vol. 140, p. 04013031. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0000800
Russell H G, Graybeal B A, Russell H G., 2013. Ultra - high performance concrete: A state - of - the - art report for the bridge community. United States. Federal Highway Administration. Office of Infrastructure Research and Development.
Zhang P, Hu R, Zou X, et al., 2021. Experimental study of a novel continuous FRP - UHPC hybrid beam. Composite Structures, vol. 261, p. 113329. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2020.113329
Long G, Zhou R, Ma H, et al., 2022. Experimental and Numerical Study on UHPC–RC Decks within Hogging Moment Region. Applied Sciences, vol. 12, p. 11446. https://doi.org/10.3390/app122211446
Liu X, Zhang J, Cheng Z, et al., 2021. Experimental and numerical studies on the negative flexural behavior of steel - UHPC composite beams. Advances in Civil Engineering, vol. 2021, p. 1 - 15. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/8828175
Wan Z, Fang Z, Liang L, et al., 2022. Structural performance of steel–concrete composite beams with UHPC overlays under hogging moment. Engineering Structures, vol. 270, p. 114866. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2022.114866
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Author
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
