Performance of the bond between recycled concrete and steel bars subject to transverse stirrup constraints after exposure to high temperatures

This study investigates and assesses the bond performance between steel reinforcement and recycled concrete, subject to the confining effect of transverse stirrups post high-temperature exposure. A series of 24 specimen groups was examined, with variations in parameters including transverse stirrup ratios (0 %, 0.24 %, 0.67 %, 1.34 %), recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) replacement ratios (0 %, 50 %, 100 %), and temperatures (300 °C, 500 °C, 700 °C). Central pull tests were administered to discern the impact of each parameter on the bond integrity of steel-reinforced recycled concrete. The results revealed that high temperatures reduced the thickness of the critical cover, altering the failure mode of the specimen. With rising temperatures, the bond strength of steel-reinforced recycled concrete weakened. Nonetheless, an increase in stirrup ratio served to counteract the detrimental effects of high temperatures. In contrast, a higher RCA replacement ratio exacerbated these effects. For example, specimens with a 1.34 % stirrup ratio showed a 30 % decrease in the adverse impacts of high temperature on bond strength compared to those with no stirrups. A comprehensive computational model, devised from experimental data and theoretical analysis, predicts the bond-slip behavior of steel-reinforced recycled concrete, incorporating the constraint coefficient k, temperature T, and replacement ratio r as pivotal parameters. The model’s predictive curve corresponds closely with the experimental findings, effectively capturing the influence of high temperature, lateral restraint, and RCA replacement ratio on the bond performance of steel-reinforced recycled concrete.