2025/07/30 by Asmera Gangul
paper · doi:10.20372/nadre:14669
Major Advisor: Dr.Badrinarayan Rath (PhD) ABSTRACT This thesis deals with the flexural behavior of lightweight concrete reinforced beams subjected to static loading. Finite element analysis software (ABAQUS) three-dimensional nonlinear analysis program has been used to model and to determine the Load-deflection behavior which is a governing flexural behavior of the reinforced concrete beam. The previous experimental work of Payam Shafigh et al. (2011) and M. Alhassan et al.(2017)) are selected and modeled to verify or validate the finite element analysis method and the result shows that there is a good agreement between the numerical analysis and the experimental one. In this thesis, eleven lightweight concrete and eleven normal weight concrete beams are modeled to identify the gap in terms of flexural behavior between them and the result indicate lightweight concrete beams could resist loading up to 90% of the normal weight concrete beams and exhibits almost similar behaviors to that of normal weight concrete beam. The effect of span depth ratio, steel reinforcement ratio and concrete grade in the aspect of load-deflection behavior, toughness, mode of failure and ultimate moment capacity of the beam is identified. The result indicates that there is a direct relationship between ultimate load or ultimate moment capacity of a lightweight concrete beam and concrete grade, steel reinforcement ratio and inverse relation with span depth ratio and this relation clearly explained by developed mathematical model. Generally, the result indicates that there is no much difference in flexural behavior lightweight concrete beam and normal weight concrete beam and for construction purpose using lightweight concrete beam is more advantageous in that it reduces the weight of structure which in turn reduces the cost of the project. Finally, it is recommended that studying flexural behavior of lightweight concrete beam alone is not sufficient condition and shear behavior of lightweight concrete should be included in the future study