Ductility and strength of reinforced concrete beams strengthened with aluminum CNC waste

Abstract

The sustainable utility of industrial waste and by‐products is crucial to reduce environmental impact. Particularly relevant for the cement and concrete industry, where recycling and utilization of industrial waste can help to replace normal concrete and promote stable growth. One such waste material is aluminum computer numerical control waste (ALCNCW). This study investigated the performance of reinforced concrete beams incorporated with ALCNCW. It was decided to use the effects of the ALCNCW ratio and the proportion of longitudinal reinforcement as parameters. A total of 12 reinforced concrete beams were cast and tested with varying levels of lower reinforcement ratios (0.0125, 0.0074, and 0.0032) and ALCNCW ratios (1%, 2%, and 3% by weight), in addition to a control beam. The load‐carrying capacity, failure mode, crack patterns, ductility, and serviceability were analyzed. The findings of the experiments demonstrated that the cracking and bending effects of reinforced concrete beams were different depending on the quantity of tension reinforcement and ALCNCW that was used. The results indicate that adding 1% or 2% of ALCNCW to concrete beams has a negligible effect on the load capacity. However, the ductility of the beams was adversely affected. Nevertheless, adding ALCNCW to the concrete mix can still be implemented with a specific ratio. Finally, all 12 beams met the serviceability limit state requirements.