Testing and evaluation of flexural reinforcing bars terminating in columns

Graduation date: 2007Capacity of transverse 1950's vintage reinforced concrete deck girder bridge bent caps with\ud large straight bar anchorages were investigated and evaluated. Eleven subassemblage\ud column specimens were examined with different anchorage lengths, bar groupings, amount\ud of transverse steel, and externally applied axial force. Test results showed an increase in\ud anchorage capacity due to the presence of transverse steel and externally applied axial\ud force. Experimental results were compared with contemporary bridge and building design\ud specifications which do not currently account for the beneficial effects of column axial\ud force acting transverse to the splitting plane. A modification factor was developed to\ud account for the presence of axial force in determining the available anchorage capacity.\ud Results showed that the modified development length provided reasonable and\ud conservative prediction of the available capacity of straight flexural bar anchorages\ud terminating in column sections