Crack Analysis in Structural Concrete

Chapter 6. Failure Modes and Maximum Loads of Notched Concrete Beams

6.1. Introduction

In the testing and analysis of various fatigue problems, the time-varying nature of cyclic loads on structures induced by winds, waves, vehicles, and so on is often subjected to oversimplification with loads of varying amplitudes but fixed loading positions. Experimental studies have shown that during fatigue tests of reinforced concrete beams and plates, the use of a moving cyclic load in a simulation of traffic loads may cause a reduction in the maximum load obtained under fixed-point monotonic or cyclic load conditions (Okada et al., 1982 and Kawaguchi et al., 1987). Though these experimental observations have shed some light on the effects of changing loading ...