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Research Project Portal


Learn more about new, in-progress, and completed concrete research projects funded by the ACI Foundation

ACIF Research Projects






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A Collaborative Study to Determine the Critical Chloride Threshold Test, OCcrit, Variability due to Material Sources

Principal Investigator: Ceki Halmen - University of Missouri Kansas City
The objective of this study was to measure the variability of OCcrit data due to different sources of materials that meet the requirements of the same ASTM specifications. Cement and steel, each procured from three different manufacturers in different parts of the country, was tested in different a…
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A Planning Study to Speed Up Broad Implementation of More Sustainable and Resilient Concrete Materials by the Pavement Sector

Principal Investigator: Somayeh Nassiri - University of California Davis
The overarching objective of this study is to help overcome the barriers to the broad implementation of natural pozzolans as a partial replacement for portland cement in minor and major concrete mixtures used in paving. The approach developed is expected to be used nationally and internationally b…
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A Study of Static and Dynamic Modulus of Concrete

Principal Investigator: John Popovics - University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
The objectives of this work are (i) to obtain a better understanding of dynamic tests (based on vibration and wave propagation) used to compute the dynamic Young’s Modulus (Ed) and to improve application by establishing consistent and accurate formulas to compute Ed and (ii) to better understand of…
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Alternative End-specimen Conditions to Characterize Compressive Strength of Ultra-High-Performance Concretes

Principal Investigator: Kinsey Skillen - Texas A&M University
The proposed research will evaluate new protocols to characterize compressive strength of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) mixes applicable to field production. Currently, ASTM C1856/C1856M only allows the use of fixed-end grinding for cylinder end conditions, which requires costly grinding e…
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Alternative Supplementary Cementitious Materials from Local Agricultural Products

Principal Investigator: Lisa Burris - Ohio State University
The objective of this study was to analyze the effects of using agricultural biomass ash as a sustainable supplementary cementitious material and assess the variability that could result from upscaled, multisource production of biomass ash as an SCM for use in concrete. Effective use of these waste…
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An Experimental Study on the Effect of Wall-Slab Connection Details in Liquid Containing Structures

Principal Investigator: Reza Kianoush - Ryerson University
Concrete Liquid Containing Structures (CLCS) are used for the treatment and/or storage of water, and wastewater, oil, as well as other types of liquid including chemicals. These structures are commonly known and referred to as storage tanks. The most common shapes of these structures are rectangula…
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Analysis and Design of Concrete Bridge Deck Overhang Using GFRP Bars

Principal Investigator: Khaled Sennah - Toronto Metropolitan University
This project investigates the analysis and design of bridge deck slab overhang due to vehicle impact to concrete barriers. The first task in this project includes a parametric study using finite element modeling to determine the applied bending moment (M) and tensile force (T) on deck overhang for…
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Assessing ACI 318 Using Data from the 2015 and 2019 E-Defense 10-Story, Full-Scale Building Tests

Principal Investigator: John Wallace - University of California Los Angeles
The E-Defense shake table facility, the world’s largest three dimensional (3D) full-scale earthquake testing facility, was constructed by National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience (NIED) in 2005 in Miki, Japan. Since then, over 80 full-scale or large-scale experiments ar…
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Assessment of Punching Shear Vulnerability and Seismic Retrofit of Slab-column Connections with Headed Reinforcement

Principal Investigator: Gustavo Parra-Montesinos - University of Michigan
In reinforced concrete construction, flat plate frame systems feature slabs supported directly by columns without the use of beams, drop panels, or column capitals. Flat plates are widely used and often preferred due to economical, functional, and architectural benefits. Some of these advantages in…
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Assessment of Yield Stress Measurement Methods for Reinforcing Bars

Principal Investigator: Conrad Paulson - Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.
The purpose of this study was to determine if it would be appropriate to change the method required by the 2011 edition of ACI 318 “Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete (ACI 318-11)” (the ACI Code) for measuring the yield strength of non-prestressed reinforcement without a well-define…
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Behavior and Design of Concrete Structures under Natural Fires

Principal Investigator: Thomas Gernay - Johns Hopkins University
This proposal aims to complement the available design methods for concrete structural members exposed to standard fire by developing a method to design for resistance to full burnout under real fires. The novel method will provide enhanced safety and resilience for reinforced and prestressed concre…
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Behavior of Slab-Column Connections under Wind Demand

Principal Investigator: Christopher Motter - Washington State University
Reinforced concrete slab-column framing is commonly used to resist gravity loads in buildings. The slab-column connections must undergo lateral deformation induced from earthquakes and wind without two-way (i.e., punching) shear failure. Previous research has focused on behavior under seismic deman…
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Benchmark Tests on Anchoring Columns to Foundations

Principal Investigator: Jack Moehle - University of California Berkeley
Foundation Report The project Principal Investigator has been working with two practicing engineers (Rafael Sabelli of Walter P. Moore and James Malley of Degenkolb Engineers), plus an expert on anchoring to concrete (John Silva, HILTI) to develop a critical set of laboratory experiments to ex…
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Chloride Desorption Isotherms of Cementitious Systems Exposed to Low-pH Environments

Principal Investigator: Mahmoud Shakouri - Colorado State University
• In FA15 and FA30 pastes, a higher chloride disassociation was observed in NaCl solutions than in CaCl2 and MgCl2. • The results for SG25 and SG50 revealed that regardless of cation type, the inclusion of higher slag increased the chloride binding and reduced the percentages of released bound…
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Comparative Tests of Concrete Rheometers Phase 2

Principal Investigator: Chiara Ferraris - National Institute of Standards and Technology

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Core Compressive Strength and Elastic Modulus Measurements of High-Strength Concrete

Principal Investigator: Matthew Sherman - Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc.
The interpretation of core test results from commercially produced high-strength concrete is an area of ongoing research. Experience with the application of acceptance criteria for normal strength cores to in situ high-strength concrete suggests significant differences in expected performance. Curi…
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Coupled Pore Relative Humidity Model for Concrete Shrinkage and Creep

Principal Investigator: Brock Hedegaard - Regents of the University of Minnesota
A new semi-empirical concrete shrinkage and creep model, called the CPRH Model, is proposed and calibrated. The new model proposes a coupling between autogenous and drying shrinkage using a volume-average pore relative humidity and treats drying creep as an additional stress-dependent shrinkage, li…
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Crack and Leakage Control Criteria for Concrete Liquid Containing Structures

Principal Investigator: Reza Kianoush - Ryerson University
The objective of the proposed research is to study the behaviour of concrete liquid containing structures (CLCS) with the aim to provide the necessary input for code decision-making. The major issues in the study are the development of cracks in the vulnerable regions of CLCS due to hydrostatic and…
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Damage Classification of Reinforced Concrete Structures for Fire: Rebar Temperature

Principal Investigator: Negar Elhami-Khorasani - University at Buffalo
The available guidelines on damage assessment of concrete structures after a fire are limited [1-5]. Post-fire damage assessment and repair classifications in the current guidelines rely on visual inspection, non-destructive testing (NDT), and sampling of material for laboratory testing. Visual ins…
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Deconstruction Monitoring of a Cast-in-Place Segmental Concrete Box Girder Bridge

Principal Investigator: Matthew Yarnold - Texas A&M University
In summary, this study provided further insight into the in-service behavior of segmental concrete box girder bridges. The approach to identifying this in-service behavior was through an in-depth field evaluation of the SHSCB. The process began with a comprehensive review of the existing documentat…
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Defining Structurally Acceptable Properties of High-Strength Steel Bars Through Beam Testing and Archetype Building Benchmark Analyses

Principal Investigator: Jack Moehle - University of California Berkeley
A laboratory test and analytical research program was undertaken to characterize the performance of reinforced concrete beams with high-strength reinforcement subjected to reversed cyclic lateral loading simulating earthquake effects. The beams are representative of beams used in special mome…
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Defining Structurally Acceptable Properties of High-Strength Steel Bars Through Material and Column Testing

Principal Investigator: Wassim Ghannoum - University of Texas Austin
Low-cycle fatigue tests were performed on reinforcing bars in order to assess the acceptability of newly developed high-strength reinforcing bars in seismic applications. The steels tested are classified as grade 60 A706, grade 80 A706, grade 80 A615, and grade 100. The high-strength reinforc…
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Deformed steel fibers as minimum shear reinforcement in deep prestressed concrete hollow core slabs

Principal Investigator: Gustavo Parra-Montesinos - University of Wisconsin Madison
Precast, prestressed concrete hollow-core slabs are commonly used in residential, office and industrial construction because of their light weight, rapid construction, and large span-to-depth ratios. These structural members are typically manufactured using either an extrusion (e.g., Elematic) or a…
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Design Requirements for Mechanically Spliced HighStrength Reinforcing Bars in Hinge Regions

Principal Investigator: Wassim Ghannoum - University of Texas - San Antonio
Objectives In ACI 318-19, a restriction was applied to mechanical splices for Gr80 and 100 bars in hinge regions due to performance concerns. This restriction puts Gr80 and 100 bars at a constructability disadvantage compared with Gr60 bars, while also curtailing constructability of concrete syste…
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Determination of the Curing Efficiency of Externally and Internally Cured Concrete Using Neutron Radiography

Principal Investigator: Mehdi Khanzadeh Moradllo - Temple University
Curing is important to develop long-lasting durable concrete. Curing promotes hydration of the cement and reaction of the supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) leading to improved strength and durability. Concrete specifications typically specify curing as a fixed duration of time (e.g., 14 d…
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Developing a guideline for life cycle assessment of structural concrete through meta-analysis and harmonization

Principal Investigator: Ben Amor - University of Sherbrooke
The comparability of environmental product declarations (EPDs) and the heterogeneity of their life cycle assessment (LCA) methods are considered the main challenges facing the credibility of results. The objective of this project is to promote the robustness and accuracy of the comparability in con…
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Developing an Information Delivery Manual for Cast-in-place Concrete Building Information Modeling (BIM)

Principal Investigator: Charles Eastman - Georgia Institute of Technology
Many owners are requiring Building Information Modeling (BIM) in building contracts. Also, contractor qualification increasingly requires BIM capabilities. BIM products are gaining accepted use in the cast-in-place (CIP) concrete industry. In recent court cases, BIM has been considered as a standar…
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Development and Splice Lengths for High-Strength Steel Reinforcement

Principal Investigator: Robert Frosch - Purdue University
The objective of this project is to develop a design expression applicable for the development and splicing of high-strength reinforecment (with yield stress fy up to 100 ksi) which will be proposed for adoption by ACI 318.
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Development of a Phase Change Material-Based Heat-Absorbing Surface Covering for Concrete Pavements/Bridge Decks

Principal Investigator: Jung Heum Yeon - Texas State University
Most state DOTs regulate the maximum concrete temperature for concrete paving operations. For example, Item 360 of Texas DOT Standard Specifications (Concrete Pavement) describes that concrete shall be placed between 40°F and 95°F at the time of discharge. Such temperature restrictions significantl…
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Development of Anchorage System for FRP Strengthening Applications using Integrated FRP Composite Anchors

Principal Investigator: Sergio F. Breña - University of Massachusetts Amherst
Over the past three decades the use of externally bonded fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) materials for structural strengthening applications has become an accepted and widely used method. A primary concern of FRP structural strengthening systems is that FRP sheets may debonds from the concrete surfa…
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Development of Code Requirements for Additively Constructed Concrete Walls in Residential Construction

Principal Investigator: Gabriel Carrera - Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.
The American Concrete Institute (ACI) formed Innovation Task Group 93-12 Code Requirements for Construction of Additively Constructed Walls (ITG-12) to develop code requirements, design, and prescriptive provisions for additively constructed above-grade concrete walls for residential structures fo…
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Development of Earthquake-Resistant Reinforced Concrete Structural Walls with Simplified Reinforcement Detailing for Rapid Construction

Principal Investigator: Gustavo Parra-Montesinos - University of Wisconsin‐Madison
The design of mid‐ to high rise buildings in regions of high seismicity typically relies on the use of reinforced concrete structural walls for lateral strength and stiffness. To achieve adequate seismic performance, however, these walls often require intricate reinforcement detailing, particularly…
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Development of FRP Retrofit Guidelines for Deficient Reinforced Concrete Horizontal Lateral Force Resisting Systems

Principal Investigator: Eric Jacques - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
This report presents a summary of the “Development of FRP Retrofit Guidelines for Deficient Reinforced Concrete Horizontal Lateral Force Resisting Systems” workshop held virtually on 17 August 2021. The meeting was a part of the research initiative led by Virginia Polytechnic Institute and St…
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Development of Large High Strength Headed Reinforcing Bars

Principal Investigator: David Darwin - University of Kansas
Hooked and headed reinforcing bars are viable alternatives for development of reinforcing steel when member geometry does not allow for a straight deformed bar to fully develop its yield strength. Current design provisions in ACI 318-19 Building Code impose limitations on the use of hooked and head…
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Development of Performance Criteria for Surface Preparation of Concrete Substrates Prior to Repair and Overlay

Principal Investigator: Benoit Bissonnette - Université Laval
The aim of the concrete repair or overlay is to prolong the useful service life of the deteriorated/distressed structure or its element, to restore the load-carrying capacity and the stiffness, and to strengthen the structure or its member. Consequently, monolithic action in the composite repair st…
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Direct Tension Test Results and In-Situ Response in Reinforced UHPC Beams: Relationship and Design Implications

Principal Investigator: Sherif El-Tawil - University of Michigan
Ultra high performance concrete (UHPC) exhibits pseudo-ductility. Its tensile fracture strain (known as the crack localization strain, t,loc) is two orders of magnitude greater than that of regular concrete. Ironically, enhanced material ductility does not translate into structural ductility in rei…
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Ductile Reinforced Concrete Coupled Walls: FEMA P695 Study

Principal Investigator: John Wallace - University of California Los Angeles
To assess the potential for collapse, a nonlinear model is created for each Archetype in an open-source computational platform OpenSees (McKenna et al., 2000) and subjected to ground acceleration response histories. New, state-of-the-art, approaches to predict collapse are implemented and eva…
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Durability of Anchorage Pour-backs: Evaluating the Link between Surface Preparation and Bond

Principal Investigator: Natassia Brenkus - Ohio State University
Pour-backs at post-tensioning (PT) tendons anchorage ends provide corrosion protection to the anchorage hardware, improving the durability of post-tensioned structures. However, the interface may serve as a pathway if deficiencies are present between the PT structure and the pour-back material, pro…
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Durability of GFRP Bars Extracted from 10+ Years Old Concrete Structures

Principal Investigator: Tony Nanni - University of Miami
Glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) rebars have been used in concrete structures as a substitute for steel rebars due to their non-corrosive behavior. To validate their performance in concrete structures, it is important to understand their long-term durability. A collaborative study between…
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Effect of Shear Stud Layout on the Seismic Behavior of Slab-Column Connections

Principal Investigator: Gustavo Parra-Montesinos - University of Michigan
Results from seismic tests have indicated poor performance by slab-column connections reinforced with an orthogonal shear stud layout meeting the requirements of ACI 318-08. On the other hand, a recent monotonic punching shear test of a slab reinforced with a radial layout of shear studs suggest th…
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Effective Characterizations of Recycled Concrete Aggregate (RCA) for Concrete Applications

Principal Investigator: Jiong Hu - University of Nebraska Lincoln
Concrete waste contributes to the majority of 230-530 million tons of Construction and Demolition wastes produced in the US each year, yet only a small proportion of which is recycled. Recycling waste concrete and producing recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) is one of the crucial topics in civ…
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Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator, the (EC3) Tool

Principal Investigator: Kathrina Simonen - Charles Pankow Foundation
The EC3 project provides open-source data and tools that enable design and construction teams to integrate EC into design and procurement decisions using an open database, intuitive user interface, and free tools to enable effective and broad adoption. EC3’s goal is to be the most available, trans…
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Evaluating Residual Strength of Corrosion-Damaged Reinforced Concrete Members

Principal Investigator: Anca-Cristina Ferche - The University of Texas at Austin
Although significant progress has been made in understanding the causes of corrosion, there is a scarcity of structural analysis models for quantifying the effects of corrosion on the residual strength of reinforced concrete (RC) elements. In our current project, we developed a finite element…
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Evaluating the Performance and Feasibility of Using Recovered Fly Ash and Fluidized Bed Combustion Fly Ash as Concrete Pozzolan

Principal Investigator: Farshad Rajabipour - Pennsylvania State University
Supplementary cementitious materials (SCM) are a key ingredient of today’s concrete and can vastly improve the durability (e.g., ASR mitigation) and sustainability of concrete mixtures. While the demand for fly ash (the highest used SCM) and other suitable pozzolans continues to grow, the supply of…
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Evaluation and Examination of ACI 347.3R Guide to Formed Concrete Surfaces

Principal Investigator: Ward Malisch - American Society of Concrete Contractors
After ACI 347.3R-13-13, “Guide to Formed Concrete Surfaces,” was published in early 2014, a study was funded to evaluate and examine the Guide. A summary is provided below. • In a review of ACI 347.3R-13 similar to an ACI document review, the investigators expressed concerns about the mixt…
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Evaluation of Chloride Limits for Reinforced Concrete

Principal Investigator: Karthik Obla - National Ready Mixed Concrete Association
The measured acid-soluble, water-soluble chloride contents and the calculated total chloride contents were determined for a range of concrete mixtures consisting of different SCMs, portland cement C3A content, w/cm, and aggregate types. The test data gave various conclusions which are detailed in t…
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Evaluation of Composite Coupled Core Walls for Low-Seismic Force and Wind Load Applications

Principal Investigator: Bahram Shahrooz - University of Cincinnati
Shahrooz Coupled structural (shear) walls (CSW) are a common structural system. This system is comprised of two or more structural walls that are linked, typically, at each floor by coupling beams. Based on the expected level of inelastic deformations, composite structural (shear) walls can be cla…
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Evaluation of Early-Strength Development in Tension-Driven High Strength Concrete Formulations

Principal Investigator: Matthew Gombeda - Illinois Institute of Technology
The main objective of this project is to develop (and subsequently facilitate the implementation of) a framework for evaluating the progression of high-early tensile strength in non-proprietary, tension-driven high strength concretes. Development of high-early tensile strength attributes, such as m…
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Evaluation of Seismic Behavior of Coupling Beams with Various Types of Steel Fiber Reinforced Concrete

Principal Investigator: Gustavo Parra-Montesinos - University of Wisconsin Madison
Past experimental research (Setkit, 2012; Parra-Montesinos et al., 2014), showed that the use of tensile strain hardening fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) in coupling beams with span-to-depth ratio of 2.2 or greater allowed the elimination of diagonal reinforcement while ensuring adequate shear stre…
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Evaluation of Seismic Performance Factors and Pedestal Shear Strength in Elevated Water Storage Tanks

Principal Investigator: Reza Kianoush - Ryerson University
A finite element approach was employed along with nonlinear static analysis in order to investigate the effect of axial compression on shear strength as well as the effect of wall opening on the seismic response characteristics of reinforced concrete pedestals in elevated water tanks. Seismic perfo…
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Examining the Abrasion and Carbonation Resistance of Portland Limestone Cement (PLC) Systems for Industrial Floors

Principal Investigator: Mehdi Khanzadeh Moradllo - Temple University
Fulfillment and distribution centers are becoming a sizable concrete construction sector. As society navigates post-pandemic, many online retailers are expecting to increase their physical footprint. At the same time, to respond to the threat of climate change, concrete industry is looking for appr…
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Experimental Evaluation of Strut Strength in Deep Concrete Members with Minimum Sheer Reinforcement

Principal Investigator: James Wight - University of Michigan
The proposed project is aimed at evaluating the adequacy of the strength factors for concrete struts given in Appendix A of the 2002 ACI Code. In particular, this research project will experimentally evaluate the ultimate capacity of compression struts in deep concrete beams with minimum transverse…
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Experimental Investigation of Use of UHPC to Simplify Structural Detailing of Precast Shear Walls in Seismic Regions

Principal Investigator: Sriram Aaleti - University of Alabama
This proposed research addresses the implications of recent modifications in the ACI 318-19 Code on precast shear walls, with a specific focus on special structural walls located in seismic regions. These code changes necessitate increased dimensions and weight, and detailing requirements, impactin…
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Fatigue Behavior of FRP Bars Embedded in Concrete

Principal Investigator: Christina Carloni - Case Western Reserve University
The bond between glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars and concrete has been mainly investigated by pull-out tests [1], where the bar is embedded within a concrete block (prism), and beam tests [2]. The bond behavior is a complex phenomenon that is not fully captured by the above mention…
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Foundation Mats with High Strength Reinforcement

Principal Investigator: Jack Moehle - University of California Berkeley
Charles Pankow Foundation (CPF) has led a coordinated research program to advance the use of high-strength reinforcement in buildings assigned to all Seismic Design Categories. The CPF program has addressed the market for high-strength reinforcement, mechanical properties of high-strength reinforce…
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Full-Scale Testing of a New Double-Beam Coupling Beam (DBCB) with A Simplistic Reinforcing Layout

Principal Investigator: Shih-Ho Chao - University of Texas Arlington
Tests were carried out on a series of double-beam coupling beams (DBCBs), including two full-scale DBCBs and one half-scale DBCB. The beams had aspect ratios (beam span/beam depth, ln/h) of either 2.4 or 3.2 and were tested with or without a slab. These specimens were tested to study the seismic be…
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Goal 2-Improve Design & Construction Process

Principal Investigator: James Toscas - Toscas Group
To create an industry-wide survey to gather opinions on the needs and expectations of ACI and its documents as well as satisfaction with and improvements of ACI documents. Task 1 - was funding of a white paper.
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Guideline Development for Use of Recycled Concrete Aggregates in New Concrete

Principal Investigator: Matthew Adams - New Jersey Institute of Technology
modulus) have shown excellent agreements in comparison with the existing database analysis prepared for compressive strength and elastic modulus. Future iterations of these statistical analyses can be made with an expanded database as more information is available through continued research.…
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High-Strength Steel Bars in Earthquake-Resistant T-Shaped Concrete Walls

Principal Investigator: Andres Lepage - University of Kansas
Reinforced concrete (RC) walls are commonly used as the primary lateral-force-resisting system for buildings in regions of high-seismicity due to their high lateral strength and stiffness. However, construction can be difficult in structures designed for earthquake resistance because of the heavy l…
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How much consolidation energy is really required to create concrete specimens?

Principal Investigator: Dimitri Feys - Curators of the University of Missouri on behalf of Missouri University of Science and Technology
The goal of this literature review was to point out the wide variety of factors that can influence the workability of concrete, and consequently alter the ideal level of consolidation. The review started by discussing the qualitative nature of the term workability and the quantitative term rheology…
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Impact of Retarder-Induced Roughness on Shear Friction Capacity using Conventional and High-Strength Reinforcement

Principal Investigator: Paolo Martino Calvi - University of Washington
Shear friction is used to transfer shear forces between two reinforced concrete members or two members with dissimilar materials. Shear transfer across a plane represents a complex phenomenon that depends on the interactions between several variables, such as concrete surface condition and cohesion…
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Improved Procedures for the Design of Slender Structural Concrete Columns

Principal Investigator: Robert J. Frosch - Purdue University
With the availability of higher strength concrete and higher strength reinforcement, the use of reduced column cross-sections is possible. However, as the cross-section is reduced, slenderness effects become more significant and can control design of the column. The current slenderness provisions i…
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Improving the Safety of Rebar Cages using Innovative Connectors Phase II: Failure Prevention of Below- and Above-Grade Rebar Cages

Principal Investigator: Hamed Ebrahimian - University of Nevada Reno
The industry currently lacks proper engineering design guidance to safeguard the stability of the rebar cages in the construction stage. This is a critical shortcoming that has motivated a research project at the University of Nevada, Reno, in collaboration with ASCE Construction Institute, Charles…
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Innovative CFRP Prestressed Concrete Box-Beam Bridge System

Principal Investigator: Nabil Grace - Lawrence Technological University
The flexural behavior of box beam bridge systems prestressed and reinforced with carbon fiber composite cables (CFCC) is presented here. Three box beam bridge models, BBC-I, BBC-II, and BBC-III, were designed, constructed, instrumented, and tested to failure. The three bridge models were of the sam…
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Interaction of Admixtures and its Effect on the Evolution of Thixotropic Breakdown and Recovery of Cementitious Systems

Principal Investigator: Shiho Kawashima - Columbia University
In typical placement processes, concrete is subjected to shear and then left to set at rest. While under shear, during processes such as pumping, pouring, and spraying, the material experiences structural breakdown as the particles in the system deflocculate, translating to a decrease in viscosity.…
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Investigate ICF Wall Construction Meeting the Requirements of NFPA 285 – Phase II

Principal Investigator: Shamim Rashid-Sumar - National Ready-Mix Concrete Association
The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) and the Insulating Concrete Forms Manufacturers Association (ICFMA) have committed to a joint research project with Jensen Hughes to test ICF flat walls to NFPA 285 requirements, and further determine required construction details to successful…
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Investigation of Bond in Unreinforced Interfaces for Partial-Depth Repairs and New Construction

Principal Investigator: Jeff West - Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.
This project comprised two phases to investigate the bond of composite concrete-to-concrete interfaces. Phase 1 included 20 composite slabs with a series of direct shear and direct tensile bond tests. Within this phase, the use of the guillotine shear test method was explored while testing various…
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Lateral Pressure on Formwork and Rheology of Self Consolidating Concrete

Principal Investigator: John Gardner - University of Ottawa
The costs of vertical forms systems, walls, and columns are directly related to the maximum pressure exerted by the fresh concrete during the placing process. Formwork for conventional concrete is designed for a lateral pressure envelope that is hydrostatic from the free surface of the concrete to…
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Leveraging Transfer Learning to Predict the Performance of Novel Concrete Mix Designs in an Expeditious Manner

Principal Investigator: Stephanie Paal - Texas A&M University
The primary objective of this project is to determine the capacity for advanced data-driven techniques to expedite our understanding of novel concrete mix designs or new mix design constraints so that we can reduce our reliance on physical testing, work towards more sustainable concrete mixes, and…
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Literature Review of Concrete Durability & Service Life Requirements in Global Codes and Standards

Principal Investigator: Tracy Marcotte - CVM Engineers, Inc.
Durability design, as a framework for the construction of building structures to achieve an intentionally specified service life, is not well understood or comprehensively documented within the guides, standards and Codes developed by ACI. Globally, ACI 318 is the most commonly used code for de…
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Low Activation Concrete with Low Activation Reinforcing Bars

Principal Investigator: Tatjana Jevremovic - University of Utah
Upon decommissioning of nuclear power plants, a large volume of concrete and reinforcing steel bars must be disposed as low-level radioactive waste mounting to more than 4,400 tones per single nuclear power plant. There are in total only three low level radioactive waste disposals in USA. Since rei…
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Maximum Reinforcing Ratio for Reinforced UHPC Beams: Towards Slender Elements

Principal Investigator: Yi Shao - McGill University
Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) is an advanced class of concrete materials. Relative to conventional concrete, UHPC shows superior mechanical and durability performance. Therefore, UHPC has been increasingly adopted worldwide from retrofitting existing structures to construction new structur…
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Microstructural Characterization of Iron Sulfide Mineral Oxidation in Aggregates Used in Concretes

Principal Investigator: Alexander Brand - Virginia Tech
Certain iron sulfide minerals found in the rocks and sand used to build concrete foundations in Connecticut and Massachusetts have undergone an expansive reaction, resulting in significant economic costs and litigation for repair. This study investigates the rate and extent of those reactions in or…
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Minimizing The Negative Influence of Pumping on Workability and Freeze-Thaw Durability of Self-Consolidating Concrete

Principal Investigator: Dimitri Feys - Missouri S&T
The purpose of this research was to develop a critical set of laboratory experiments to explore the requirements for anchoring steel columns to concrete foundations. Testing consisted of punching shear and breakout failure, moment transfer tests, and analysis by finite element models followed by la…
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Mitigation of Steel Reinforcement Corrosion Via Bioactive Agents: Final Report

Principal Investigator: Aaron Sakulich - Worcester Polytechnic Institute
This experimental study aimed to investigate an innovative cinnamaldehyde-LWA inhibitor that can be added to a cementitious mix in order to protect reinforcing steel from corrosion. By protecting the reinforcing steel, the service life of structures can be extended and the billions of dollars lost…
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Modeling Parameters and Proposed Acceptance Criteria for Rehabilitation Columns using Concrete, Steel, or FRP Jackets

Principal Investigator: Sergio F. Breña - University of Massachusetts Amherst
Poorly detailed columns are prone to axial load failures or shear failures in active seismic areas around the world. Structures designed using older (pre-1970) code provisions may be susceptible to severe seismic damage. The research in this report concentrated on retrofitting deficient RC columns…
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Multiscale reinforcement of hybrid steel fiber reinforced concrete

Principal Investigator: Xijun Shi - Texas State University
Unrecycled tire waste is a global problem because scrap tires are non-biodegradable. Scrap tires are also flammable and can leach toxic substances into the ground. According to the US scrap tire markets report, 4.2 million tons of scrap tires were generated in 2017 in the US and 0.6 million tons we…
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Nano-modified calcined clay-based cement concrete – A high modulus concrete with low carbon footprint

Principal Investigator: Panagiotis Danoglidis - University of Texas Arlington
The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) and the Insulating Concrete Forms Manufacturers Association (ICFMA) have committed to a joint research project with Jensen Hughes to test ICF flat walls to NFPA 285 requirements, and further determine required construction details to successfull…
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National BIM Standard for Cast in Place Concrete - Phase Two

Principal Investigator: Charles Eastman - Georgia Institute of Technology
This project is an effort to realize interoperability standards for reinforced concrete construction in buildings. The process for developing such standards is defined in the US National BIM Standard (NBIMS) (see: http://www.wbdg.org/bim/nbims.php). The ACI project is structured into three phases.…
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Nonlinear Modeling Parameters and Acceptance Criteria for Reinforced Concrete Coupling Beams

Principal Investigator: Christopher Motter - Washington State University
A database of diagonally reinforced concrete coupling beam tests was formulated and used to assess strength, stiffness, and deformation capacity. The shear strength equation provided in ACI 318-19 considers only the transverse strength of the diagonal bars and was found to be overly conservative. A…
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Normal and High Strength Continuously Wound Ties (CWT)

Principal Investigator: Bahram Shahrooz - University of Cincinnati
Advancements in steel reinforcement bending machines have allowed for the fabrication of continuously wound ties (CWTs), which are constructed from a single piece of reinforcement. CWTs are being used in place of conventional transverse reinforcement in concrete compression members to reduce…
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Novel Concrete Containments for Nuclear Reactors

Principal Investigator: Christopher Jones - Kansas State University
The research proposed herein describes a subset of a larger research and development effort for novel concrete containments for commercial nuclear reactors. The broader research is proposed in four phases: 1. Preliminary engineering concept feasibility 2. Detailed technical evaluation and laborat…
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Optimization of Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Using Data Mining

Principal Investigator: Emilio Garcia-Taengua - University of Leeds
A database of SFRC mixtures and a database of synthetic FRC mixtures have been compiled from papers published over the last two decades and used as the basis for this study. The information compiled on SFRC mixtures constitutes a coherent set of data where the main sources of variability are clear,…
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Performance and Repair of Ordinary Structural Walls Subjected to Wind and Seismic Loading Protocols

Principal Investigator: John Wallace - University of California Los Angeles
Unlike seismic design, where performance-based design has become common in areas with high seismic hazards, wind design is still based on prescriptive code provisions and linear elastic response under ASCE 7 strength-level demands. In some locations, use of prescriptive wind design provisions leads…
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Precast National BIM Standard Phase III

Principal Investigator: Charles Eastman - Georgia Institute of Technology
This project was initiated by the Charles Pankow Foundation, with industry support from the Precast Concrete Institute (PCI) in May 2008. It has been carried out in three phases. In the first phase, the PCI BIM Committee, was formed. The Committee defined the scope of coverage, and identified 51 da…
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Pre-Standard for Performance-Based Design for Wind Design

Principal Investigator: Don Scott - SEI/ASCE
Prestandard for Performance-Based Wind Design developed by the Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) presents a recommended alternative to the prescriptive procedures for wind design of buildings contained in the nationally adopted standard Minimum…
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Proposed Specification for Deformed Steel Bars with Controlled Ductile Properties for Concrete Reinforcement

Principal Investigator: Conrad Paulson - Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.
As the primary activity funded by a research grant from the Charles Pankow Foundation (CPF), Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. (WJE) developed a complete draft of a proposed manufacturing specification for deformed steel reinforcing bars with controlled ductile properties having specified…
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R&D Consortium on De-Icing Salt Scaling Resistance of Concrete Incorporating Supplementary Cementing Materials

Principal Investigator: Doug Hooton - University of Toronto
The current state of knowledge indicates that the mechanical properties and durability performance of concrete incorporating supplementary cementing materials (SCMs) as partial replacement for portland cement are generally comparable to those of conventional ordinary portland cement (ope) concrete,…
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Recommendations for Unified Durability Guidance in ACI Documents

Principal Investigator: Jason Ideker - Oregon State University
The concrete design and construction industry needs uniform guidance on durability recommendations across ACI documents. As part of the preparation for this proposal, five ACI documents, where discrepancies exist, were examined: ACI 201.2R-16, 222R-19, 301-16, 301-16, 318-19, 350.5-12, and 350-06 […
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Reinforced Concrete Coupling Beams with High-Strength Steel Bars

Principal Investigator: Andres LePage - University of Kansas
The use of high-strength steel bars in reinforced concrete coupling beams is expected to reduce reinforcement congestion. A series of tests was conducted to investigate the effects of high-strength reinforcement on coupling beam behavior. This document summarizes the test program and test data. Ele…
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Reliability Evaluation of ACI 318 Strength Reduction Factor for One-Way Shear

Principal Investigator: Robert Barnes - Auburn University
A collaborative effort of several ACI technical committees led to the adoption of new ACI 318-19 one-way shear strength design provisions that addressed the influence of size effect and longitudinal reinforcement. These improved provisions provided an opportunity for a rational re-evaluation of…
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Reliable Measurement and Speciation of Sulfur in Concrete Aggregates

Principal Investigator: April Snyder - RJ Lee Group
This project addresses a need for standardized methods to measure the total quantity and species (sulfate vs. sulfide) of sulfur in concrete aggregates that can be used by numerous analytical laboratories with reliable results. Rigorous laboratory protocols will be applied to evaluate sample prepar…
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Rheological Behavior of Fresh Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) Enhanced by Nano-Additives and Data-Driven Approaches

Principal Investigator: Chengcheng Tao - Purdue University
The objective of the proposed research is to develop a novel framework to select nano-additives for optimal rheological behavior of fresh concrete by integrating nanotechnology, multi-scale modeling, fluid mechanics, and data-driven approaches. To achieve the research objective, we will: 1) develop…
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Role of microbial induced calcium carbonate precipitation on corrosion prevention

Principal Investigator: Raissa Ferron - University of Texas Austin
The overarching goal of this project was to advance the understanding on how microbial-induced calcium carbonate precipitation can be leveraged to improve the durability of concrete. The specific objective of this project was to determine the efficacy of biogenic calcium carbonate precipitation to…
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Round-Robin Test Series to Evaluate Models Developed to Predict the Lateral Formwork Pressure when Using Self-Consolidating Concrete

Principal Investigator: Peter H. Billberg - Swedish Cement and Concrete Research Institute
The objective of this work is to evaluate all of the recently developed models across the world for predicting the lateral formwork pressure when casting vertical structures with self-consolidating concrete (SCC). This evaluation will be done in the form of a round-robin test series where all repre…
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Seismic Behavior of Precast Columns with High-Strength Steel Coiled Strip Reinforcement

Principal Investigator: Ashley Thrall - University of Notre Dame
This report presents the experimentally investigation of the behavior of square reinforced concrete (RC) columns with high-strength [100 ksi (690 MPa) yield strength] steel coiled strips as embedded confinement reinforcement under reversed-cyclic lateral loading and a constant axial compression…
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Serviceability Behavior of Reinforced Concrete Discontinuity Regions

Principal Investigator: Robin Tuchscherer - Northern Arizona University
This purpose of this project is to investigate the serviceability behavior of discontinuity regions using the strut and tie modeling method. To accomplish this objective, the following aims are targeted:(1) to investigate the serviceability behavior of concrete in terms of maximum crack width and t…
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Setting Bar-Bending Requirements for High Strength Steel Bars

Principal Investigator: Wassim Ghannoum - University of Texas Austin
The reinforcing steel industry is currently developing high-strength Reinforcing bars with specified yield strengths of 80 and 100 ksi due to increased demand for such grades in concrete construction. However, none of the higher street grades are able to match the benchmark mechanical properties of…
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Shear Behavior of Macro-Synthetic Fiber-Reinforced Concrete

Principal Investigator: Travis Thonstad - University of Washington
Steel fiber-reinforced concrete beams are exempt from the minimum shear reinforcement requirements of ACI 318 if specific fiber dosage and flexural toughness criteria are met. While this exemption was supported by a large body of research, few studies have investigated the contribution of macro-s…
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Shear Behavior of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) Considering Axial Load Effects

Principal Investigator: Dimitrios Kalliontzis - University of Houston
The goal of the proposed research is to understand the effects of axial loads on the shear response of UHPC members and to assist in the development of UHPC shear resistance models considering these effects. The proposed research will utilize the unique capabilities of the Universal Panel Tester at…
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Shear Friction of Lightweight Aggregate Concretes

Principal Investigator: Leslie Sneed - Missouri S&T
This report presents the results from the second phase of an ongoing investigation of the direct shear transfer across an interface of lightweight aggregate concretes. The lightweight concretes were made with different lightweight aggregate materials (expanded shale, expanded slate, and expanded cl…
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Standard Critical Chloride Threshold Test Variability due to Material Sources

Principal Investigator: Ceki Halmen - University of Missouri Kansas City
The large variability of published CT data and lack of a standard CT test method creates significant difficulties for the concrete industry. Researchers cannot compare CT values obtained from their research to a standard value. Practitioners evaluating condition of reinforced concrete structures…
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Strength and Deformation Capacities of Corner Slab-Column Connections

Principal Investigator: Min-Yuan Cheng - National Taiwan University of Science and Technology
Effects of slab flexural reinforcement on the punching shear strength and deformation capacity of corner slab-column connections without shear reinforcement are evaluated in this study. Six isolated corner slab-column subassemblages were tested under combined gravity-type loading and lateral…
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Strength Reduction Factor for Plain Concrete

Principal Investigator: Andrzej Nowak - Auburn University
Plain concrete is used for various structural elements that contain no reinforcement or less reinforcement than specified by the American Concrete Institute (ACI) Building Code. There have been significant developments in the concrete industry and a continuous growing interest in structural plain c…
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Stress-Strain Analysis of BCSA Cement for Structural Applications

Principal Investigator: Cameron Murray - University of Arkansas
The current edition of the ACI 318-19(22) Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete and Commentary allows the use of alternative cements in design when these materials can be proved to conform to the existing structural design parameters used to estimate performance. Belitic calcium…
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Structural nanomodified concrete: an investigation of critical properties

Principal Investigator: David Corr - Northwestern University
Although interrupted and altered by COVID and other related factors, the present study has expanded the body of knowledge of nanomodification of cementitious composites, particularly related to dispersion of nanomaterials, and nano/microscale creep behavior. The specific findings of this study incl…
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Structural Performance Evaluation of Pervious Concretes: Linking Pore Structure to Material Response

Principal Investigator: Narayanan Neithalath - Arizona State University
An understanding of the mechanical response of pervious concretes as a function of material design and pore structure parameters is essential for effective utilization of this material. A methodology to proportion pervious concrete mixtures of desired porosity using high or low cement paste content…
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Structural Response and Buckling Behavior of Slender UHPC Columns

Principal Investigator: Mohamed Moustafa - University of Nevada Reno
Ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) is considered to be a relatively new generation of cementitious materials with multiple times higher strength and durability than conventional concretes. The global market size of UHPC is increasing exponentially and is expected to reach USD 1.9 billion by 202…
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Strut-and-Tie Design of Disturbed Regions Utilizing Internal Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Reinforcement

Principal Investigator: Rudolf Seracino - North Carolina State University
This proposed research focuses on developing design requirements for disturbed regions of structural concrete members reinforced with internal FRP bars. In the design of RC deep beams, the use of sectional design methods may result in unnecessarily conservative designs. The application of strut-and…
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Sustainable and Safe Reinforced Concrete Retaining Walls

Principal Investigator: Luis Fargier-Gabaldon - University of Notre Dame
Report 1 This research addresses the sizing of the stem in cantilever retaining walls. The new shear provisions for members without shear reinforcement that were recently introduced into the ACI Building Code (318-19), produce stems that can be up to 4 times thicker than that obtained with previou…
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Sustainable Concrete without Chloride Limits

Principal Investigator: Antonio Nanni - University of Miami
The research project “SEACON: Sustainable concrete using seawater, salt-contaminated aggregates, and non-corrosive reinforcement” addresses the issue of sustainability from the perspective of the construction material most used worldwide. This 2.5-year project started on October 1, 2015. It was…
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Tests of two exterior beam column joints with headed bars for evaluation of breakout strength

Principal Investigator: Gustavo Parra-Montesinos - University of Wisconsin Madison
The proposal relates to 318 moving forward with several code change proposals for bar group concrete breakout failure. One of the 318 code change proposals is to clarify the language regarding anchorage and development length on joints, including column-footing joints. 3181R has developed language…
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The Role of Testing Conditions and Concrete Durability Issues in Chloride Binding and Desorption of Cementitious Systems

Principal Investigator: Mahmoud Shakouri - Colorado State University
This proposed 18-month project has been endorsed by ACI Committees 222: Corrosion of Metals in Concrete and 365: Service Life Prediction and is asking for $86,685. The amount of direct costs requested from CRC is $57,365. The cost share for this project totals $16,100 and is in the form of tuition…
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Three-Versus Four-Point Bending Test for the Identification of UHPFRC/FRC Tensile Constitutive Behavior

Principal Investigator: Francisco Lo Monte - Politecnico di Milano
The great benefits brought in by FRC and UHPFRC do not consist only of the remarkably higher tensile strength at the Ultimate Limit State (ULS) with respect to ordinary concrete, but especially on the better performance at the Service Limit State (SLS), this leading to longer lasting and more susta…
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Towards Developing a Mechanistic Design Procedure for Pervious Concrete Pavements

Principal Investigator: Somayeh Nassiri - Washington State University
Pervious concrete (PC) is a special class of concrete with about 15 to 30 percent volume of interconnected voids to allow runoff to infiltrate into underlayers. A successful PC pavement provides the support to withstand the applied traffic load and provide rapid infiltration of stormwater to…
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Transverse Reinforcement Requirements for UHPC columns: Assessment of Existing ACI Provisions and New Developments

Principal Investigator: Mohamed Moustafa - University of Nevada Reno
Advanced materials, such as ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC), are among the emerging technologies that can revolutionize our future structures with significantly improved strength and durability for a much longer service life than conventional concrete. Behind the excellent performance of UHP…
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Transverse Reinforcement Requirements in Flexural Hinges of Large Beams of Special Moment Resisting Frames

Principal Investigator: Jack Moehle - University of California Berkeley
Reinforced concrete special moment resisting frames (SMRFs) are a common lateral force resisting system in regions of high seismicity. For tall reinforced concrete SMRF systems, beam cross sections with depth as large as 4 feet are common. For such beam sections the current ACI 318-08 requirements…
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Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) Compressive Model in Flexural Compression Zone

Principal Investigator: Yi Shao - McGill University
Through fourteen eccentric compression tests of large-scale UHPC specimens, the proposed project will investigate the compressive behavior of UHPC in flexural compression zones as well as develop practical design guidance. The design guidance will include a UHPC compressive material model and compr…
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Update to Performance-Based Seismic Design Guidelines for Tall Buildings

Principal Investigator: Jack Moehle - University of California Berkeley
These Seismic Design Guidelines for Tall Buildings present a recommended alternative to the prescriptive procedures for seismic design of buildings contained in the ASCE 7 standard and the International Building Code (IBC). The intended audience includes structural engineers and building offi…
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User’s Guide to Green Concrete in Building Construction

Principal Investigator: Ward Malisch - American Society of Concrete Contractors Foundation
The objective of this project is development of a Users’ Guide to “Green” Concrete in Building Construction. Such a guide will help all members of the construction team to (a) understand the differences in properties between “green” concrete and traditional concrete mixtures for building constructi…
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Validation of Service Life Prediction for a 28-Year-Old Parking Garage Constructed of Low Permeability Concrete

Principal Investigator: Amanda Bordelon - Utah Valley University
The objective of this research was to quantify the benefits of silica fume through a detailed investigation of the concrete decks within the now-demolished Salt Lake City International Airport parking structure, which was constructed in 1991, after it had been in service for almost 30 years.…
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Workshop Summary Concrete 2029

Principal Investigator: Bill Palmer - Complete Construction Consultants
To summarize the industry's challenges as identified by Concrete 2029 participants and to clearly define the goals established and steps that must be taken for the industry to accomplish those goals.
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