The Earthquake Engineering Online Archive

Effects of Normal and Extreme Environment on Reinforced Concrete Structures

Bresler, Boris; Iding, Robert H.

UCB/SESM-1977/04, Dept. of Civil Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, 1977-04, 79 pages

Cracking, excessive deformation, spalling and even partial collapse of reinforced concrete structures frequently result from variations in environmental and loading conditions not considered in design. Prediction of the response of reinforced concrete structures to variations in temperature (using the program FIRES-T), humidity, and load is described. Modeling of structures, loading history, environment, and material behavior is discussed and several case studies are included to illustrate the use of proposed models. The models account for nonlinear behavior under variations in load and environment and for the nonhomogeneity introduced by steel reinforcement and cracking of concrete.

Available online: http://nisee.berkeley.edu/documents/SEMM/SEMM-77-04.pdf (5 MB)