Abstract
The advancement of material technology and production has led to higher grades of concrete strengths. In recent years a marked increase in the use of highβstrength concrete (compressive strength, fβ²~c~>50βMPa) has been evident in construction projects around the world. Highβstrength concrete (HSC) offers significantly better structural engineering properties, such as higher compressive and tensile strengths, higher stiffness, better durability, compared with conventional normalβstrength concrete (NSC). Many structures built now have at least some components constructed with HSC. However, to a large extent, practice has preceded theory with constitutive equations simply being extrapolated to higher strengths. The main concern regarding the use of HS Concrete is the reduction in ductility with the increase in compressive strength observed under uniaxial compression. Past research has shown that members made of HSC exhibit, in some instances, different failure mechanisms, and simply extrapolating models and equations meant for NSC to HSC may lead to unsafe designs. Major codes of practice around the world are still based on experimental and theoretical results derived from investigations on NSC. Individual design rules codified in any of the national and international design codes need to be experimentally verified and categorized with a view to taking further action. In some instances structural designers are unable to take full advantage of the material because of insufficient information.
Recent developments in design and performance of HSC members, especially the papers published within the last two or three years are presented in this paper. The paper covers the topics of engineering properties, fire design, flexural members, shear and torsion, bond and anchorage, HSC columns, transmission of HSC column loads through weaker slabs, walls, impact resistance and seismic design of HSC structures. Copyright Β© 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.