Strut-and-Tie Method for Reinforced Concrete Members With Cold Joints

Details

• Creators:
  Li, Brandon ; Sanchez, Andrea Campos ; Arzadon, Simon ; Zaborac, Jarrod ; Webb, Zachary D. ; Jang, Hansol ; Yu, Yongjae ; Wang, Hwa-Ching ; Saqan, Elias I. ; Ferche, Anca C. ; Bayrak, Oguzhan
• Corporate Creators:
  University of Texas at Austin. Center for Transportation Research
• Corporate Contributors:
  Texas Department of Transportation. Research and Technology Implementation Office ; United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  Box Beams Cold Joints Deep Beams Drilled-Shaft Footing Interface Shear Resistance Joints Literature Reviews Machine Shafts Mechanical Resistance Reinforced Concrete Shear Tests Structural Design Strut-and-Tie Modeling Strut And Tie Method Surveys

  More +
• Publication/ Report Number:
  FHWA/TX-25 0-7117-1
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States
• Edition:
  September 2021 – June 2025
• Corporate Publisher:
  University of Texas at Austin. Center for Transportation Research
• Abstract:
  Cold joints are a frequent and often unavoidable occurrence in reinforced concrete construction; however, current design provisions offer limited guidance for assessing their effect on load transfer and failure mechanisms, particularly when cold joints intersect critical load paths in disturbed regions. This research proposes a mechanically-based analytical approach that integrates shear-friction behavior into the strut-and-tie method (STM)framework. The analytical model was informed by a comprehensive literature review, a survey of US transportation agencies, and an extensive experimental program consisting of slant shear, deep beam, and a drilled-shaft footing cap test. The study investigated both two- and three-dimensional structural behavior and evaluated the effects of joint orientation, surface roughness, and reinforcement configuration on cold joint performance. Experimental results revealed distinct shear transfer mechanisms in cold joints intersected by compression struts. These findings guided the development of an analytical framework that captures interface behavior and supports a rational design procedure. The proposed analytical approach is compatible with existing design specifications, addressing both interface shear resistance and strut effectiveness within the STM framework. This research delivers validated practical design guidelines for reinforced concrete structures with cold joints, advancing the reliability, safety, and consistency of structural design.
• Format:
  PDF
• Funding:
  0-7117
• Collection(s):
  US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:562c164c9d75856aa64f8a6939d310d4ad638ed655f608205c47c7f406f5443b88d0fce13880eb5ba571721e6fe8b7963e99ca9b9f5ccb821fa7daa67335721c
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/92014/dot_92014_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 32.81 MB ]