Bond and Anchorage Behavior of Alkali-Silica Reactive Concrete

In this research, bond between steel and alkali-silica reaction (ASR) concrete was investigated by means of pullout specimens. Main variables included the presence and type of reinforcement and level of concrete deterioration due to ASR. Results were compared to identical specimens made from control concrete. To promote concrete expansion, both reactive and control specimens were subjected to periods of prolonged exposure to a high-humidity and high-temperature environment (that is, 50 [+ or -] 2[degrees]C and over 97% relative humidity) inside a custom-built curing facility. Testing was conducted at three different concrete ages to capture any changes in bond behavior as ASR developed. While the effect of ASR on bond strength of confined concrete was negligible, up to 20% reduction in peak bond stresses was observed in the unconfined specimens. In addition, results from a pilot series of tensile testing of headed bolts cast in ASR concrete are also presented. Keywords: alkali-silica reaction; bond strength; bond stress-slip response; confinement; material properties.