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Stress-Strain Model for High-Strength Concrete Confined by Welded Wire

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Article  in  Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering · April 2007

DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)0899-1561(2007)19:4(286)

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 Stress-Strain Model for High-Strength Concrete Confined
by Welded Wire Fabric
Sami W. Tabsh1

Abstract: Increased ductility of columns made with high-strength concrete 共HSC兲 can be accomplished through proper confinement of
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the concrete core. To determine the effectiveness of welded wire fabric as transverse reinforcement in HSC columns, an experimental
investigation involving testing of ten full-scale columns in axial compression was conducted. The performance of columns laterally
reinforced with welded wire fabric 共WWF兲 was compared with that of unconfined concrete. Axial stress-strain diagrams of the concrete
core from the experimental tests showed that substantial gains in strength and ductility of columns laterally reinforced with WWF can be
achieved if the volumetric ratio of transverse steel was larger than 3.5%. Critical points on the stress-strain curve of confined concrete
were determined and a mathematical model that considers the effect of the volumetric ratio of transverse steel on the stress-strain
relationship is proposed. Comparison between the proposed model and the experimental results showed good agreement between the two.
DOI: 10.1061/共ASCE兲0899-1561共2007兲19:4共286兲
CE Database subject headings: Stress strain relations; High strength concrete; Welds; Fabrics; Concrete columns.

Introduction applications in structural elements, particularly in compression

High-strength concrete 共HSC兲 is one of the most significant recent
materials available to civil engineers involved in the design of
buildings, bridges, and other structures. It is normally used in
high-rise buildings to reduce column sizes and increase available
space, and in bridge structures to increase span lengths and cut
down on the number of supporting piers or to make use of fewer
beams on a given span length. High-strength concrete is also used
to satisfy specific needs or special applications such as acceler-
ated strength gain, durability, tensile strength, and modulus of
elasticity 共Ralls and Carrasquillo 1994兲.
Plain concrete is inherently brittle, has very little capacity for
inelastic deformation before failure, and is weak in tension. Under
uniaxial compressive loading, it has an approximately linear
stress-strain history until initiation of cracking of its matrix. The
material exhibits increased nonlinear behavior above this point
until failure. The stress-strain curve of HSC subjected to axial
compression is somewhat different from that of normal strength
concrete. As concrete strength increases, the descending branch of
the stress-strain curve gradually becomes steeper, and for HSC an
almost vertical softening curve is obtained. High-strength con-
crete is generally considered a brittle material because failure
during a compressive test occurs in a sudden, explosive manner.
The fracture surface crosses the coarse aggregates, resulting in a
fairly smooth fracture surface.
The brittleness of HSC causes some concern with regard to
1
Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, American Univ. of Sharjah,
P.O. Box 26666, Sharjah, UAE.
Note. Associate Editor: Christopher K. Y. Leung. Discussion open
until September 1, 2007. Separate discussions must be submitted for in-
dividual papers. To extend the closing date by one month, a written re-
quest must be filed with the ASCE Managing Editor. The manuscript for
this paper was submitted for review and possible publication on June 30,
2004; approved on April 14, 2006. This paper is part of the Journal of
Materials in Civil Engineering, Vol. 19, No. 4, April 1, 2007. ©ASCE,
ISSN 0899-1561/2007/4-286–294/$25.00.
members. Ductility of a reinforced concrete column or bridge pier
is important for the overall strength and stability of a structure
under critical loads. Increased ductility of columns made with
HSC can be achieved through suitable confinement of the con-
crete core. The most common types of lateral confinement in
columns with square or rectangular cross sections are in the form
of rectilinear ties. Spirals or circular hoops are normally used in
columns with circular cross sections. The effectiveness of con-
crete confinement depends on the uniformity of the confining
pressure provided to the concrete core.
Spirals or circular hoops are subjected to hoop tension as the
concrete core expands under uniaxial compression. This tension
provides a continuous confining line load around the circumfer-
ence of the enclosed concrete because the axial stiffness of the
spiral/hoop is large. On the other hand, rectilinear ties are only
fully effective near the corners of the ties, but are not as effective
as spirals or circular hoops between the corners because the flex-
ural stiffness of the ties is small. This is because the pressure of
the expanding concrete in the column core against the spirals/
hoops or ties tends to push the sides of the hoops outward once
the concrete cover spalls off. Confinement provided by rectilinear
ties can be significantly improved if: 共1兲 transverse reinforcement
is closely spaced along the vertical axis of the column; and 共2兲
cross legs or diagonal ties are used to restrain the concrete core
from expanding at these critical points within the cross section, as
shown in Fig. 1.
Until recently, welded wire fabric 共WWF兲 has been used
mainly as temperature and shrinkage reinforcement in pavements
and slabs on grade, which are subjected to small tensile forces
共ACI 360R-92 1992兲. Since it is clear that vertical and transverse
tie spacings play important roles in confining the concrete core in
a column, it is reasonable to expect that concrete confinement will
be increased if the concrete is placed in a cage that consists of
closely spaced reinforcement within the cross section and along
the longitudinal axis of the column. Welded wire fabric satisfies
this requirement, although few attempts have been made in the
past to properly investigate its effect on concrete confinement

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J. Mater. Civ. Eng. 2007.19:286-294.


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Fig. 1. Confinement of concrete columns
共Furlong et al. 1991; Mau et al. 1998; Saatcioglu and Grira 1999兲.
With appropriately spaced bundles of WWF and the right
workability of concrete, it is possible to construct columns with
relatively high volumetric ratios of transverse steel without ad-
versely effecting the concrete compaction. The grid configuration
of WWF facilitates the fabrication of reinforcement cages to fit
any column with a rectangular or square cross section by simply
slipping the WWF sheets through the longitudinal rebars of the
column skeleton, as shown in Fig. 2.
Confined Concrete
The basic principle on which current structural design code re-
quirements for transverse reinforcement are based is that the in-
crease in strength of the concrete core due to confinement should
offset the loss in strength of the structural member due to spalling
of the concrete cover. This means that maintaining the load car-
rying capacity of the column after cover spalling is essential.
Further, transverse steel reinforcement increases the ductility of a
member, which is important for the overall strength and stability
of a structure during extreme loading conditions.
Confinement requirements for HSC columns are more strin-
gent than for normal-strength concrete 共NSC兲 columns because
Fig. 2. Arrangement of WWF
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS IN CIVIL ENGINEERING © ASCE / APRIL 2007 / 287
J. Mater. Civ. Eng. 2007.19:286-294.
the confining steel is less effective in HSC 共Azizinamini et al.
1994; Attard and Mendis 1993; Bjerkeli et al. 1990兲. This may be
attributed to the fact that the drop in the load carrying capacity
due to the loss of the cover in HSC columns is sudden and cannot
be compensated for by a corresponding increase in the core’s load
carrying capacity, unless the core is adequately confined.
On the basis of experimental data, several analytical models
have been proposed to predict the stress-strain curve for laterally
confined concrete. Improvement in strength and ductility were
recognized in all models. Hoshikuma et al. 共1997兲 studied and
analyzed six previously developed models for normal strength
confined concrete and suggested a new one that is applicable for
bridge piers. The six confinement models that were analyzed in
the study were developed by Kent and Park 共1971兲, Sheikh and
Uzumeri 共1982兲, Mander et al. 共1988兲, Saatcioglu and Razvi
共1992兲, Muguruma et al. 共1980兲, and Fujii et al. 共1988兲.
In 1988, Yong et al. 共1988兲 investigated the effects of rectilin-
ear confinement in HSC subjected to increasing compressive axial
load. In the study, 24 columns with concrete compressive strength
ranging from 84 to 94 MPa, reinforced with longitudinal rebars,
and confined with lateral ties were tested. The stress-strain behav-
ior was studied with respect to the effects of the volumetric ratio
of lateral ties, the concrete cover, and the distribution of the lon-
gitudinal steel around the perimeter of the core. Improvements in
strength and ductility of the high-strength concrete with rectilin-
ear confinement were observed. The lateral steel confinement in
the HSC was not as effective as in NSC specimens. An empirical
model for the stress-strain curve of rectilinearly confined high-
strength concrete using three parameters was proposed and equa-
tions for the parameters were developed.
Bayrak and Sheikh 共1998兲 presented results from a confine-
ment study dealing with HSC and ultrahigh-strength concrete
共UHSC兲 columns. Full-scale columns were tested under moderate
to high axial load levels and reversed cyclic displacement excur-
sions. The variables studied in this research program were the
concrete strength, axial load level, steel configuration, amount of
lateral steel, and the presence of a heavy stub. A performance-
based design procedure for the design of confinement reinforce-
ment in HSC and UHSC columns was presented and compared
with current international structural design codes.
A mathematical model of the stress-strain relationship of HSC
confined by transverse reinforcement was developed in 1999 by
Razvi and Saatcioglu. The model is applicable to both normal-
strength and high-strength concretes, covering a strength range
between 30 and 130 MPa. It incorporates all the relevant param-
eters of confinement, including the type, volumetric ratio, spac-
ing, yield strength, and arrangement of transverse reinforcement
as well as concrete strength and section geometry. The developed
model can be used for concrete confined by different types of
transverse reinforcement including spirals, rectilinear hoops, and
cross ties. The model was verified extensively against data ob-
tained from column tests under concentric and eccentric loads, as
well as slow and fast strain rates.
Lambert-Aikhionbare and Tabsh 共2001兲 investigated the effec-
tiveness of WWF in confining HSC columns. In the study, the
performance of columns laterally reinforced with WWF was com-
pared with that of columns laterally reinforced with conventional
ties. Axial load-deflection diagrams of the concrete core from the
experimental tests showed that substantial gains in strength and
ductility of columns laterally reinforced with WWF can be
achieved. Strength increases of at least 15% were observed, while
ductility increases of 250% and more were recorded in the speci-
mens with WWF when compared with the corresponding speci-
 mens with conventional ties. The study also showed that tied Table 1. Details of Transverse Reinforcement in Columns
columns exhibited larger residual ductility at higher strain levels Volumetric Wire
共greater than 2%兲 than columns transversely reinforced with Specimen ratio diameter Grid Cell size Spacing
WWF. number 共%兲 共mm兲 configuration 共mm⫻ mm兲 共mm兲
Recently, Légeron and Paultre 共2003兲 proposed a confinement
1 3.50 5.71 3⫻3 102⫻ 102 76
model for HSC based on strain compatibility and transverse force
2 3.50 7.02 4⫻4 76⫻ 76 95
equilibrium. This new approach is capable of predicting the ef-
3 4.00 5.71 3⫻3 102⫻ 102 51
fectiveness of transverse high-yield-strength steel reinforcement
in confining high-strength concrete columns. The model is vali- 4 4.00 7.02 4⫻4 76⫻ 76 63
dated on test results from more than 200 circular and square 5 4.50 5.71 3⫻3 102⫻ 102 44
large-scale columns tested under slow and fast concentric loading. 6 4.50 7.02 4⫻4 76⫻ 76 57
In addition, results from about 50 square and circular large-scale 7 4.75 5.71 3⫻3 102⫻ 102 57
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columns tested under constant axial load and reversed cyclic 8 4.75 7.02 4⫻4 76⫻ 76 44
bending were also used in the assessment of the model adaptabil- 9 5.00 5.71 3⫻3 102⫻ 102 54
ity to seismic-type loading. All the predictions were in good 10 5.00 7.02 4⫻4 76⫻ 76 49
agreement with the experimental results.

Objectives and Scope
The objectives of this study are to use full-scale laboratory tests to
共1兲 study the effectiveness of welded wire fabric as confining
lateral reinforcement for HSC columns under uniaxial compres-
sive loads; 共2兲 determine expressions for the critical points on the
stress-strain curve as a function of the relevant variables; and 共3兲
develop equations for the stress-strain curve of confined concrete
based on the test results. The variables that were investigated in
the study included the volumetric percentage of lateral steel and
number of cells in each layer of the WWF. The volumetric per-
centage of the WWF lateral reinforcement in the tested columns
varied between 3.5 and 5.0% while the number of cells within the
concrete core in each layer 共sheet兲 of WWF used was either 3
⫻ 3 共cell size= 102 mm兲 or 4 ⫻ 4 共cell size= 76 mm兲.
Approach
Ten columns having 356 mm⫻ 356 mm cross section, and
1,524 mm in length, were tested inside a universal testing ma-
chine 共UTM兲 with a capacity equal to 11,100 kN. The concrete
cylinder strength at the age of 28 days varied between 62 and
76 MPa. All specimens were reinforced with four No. 25 bars
共rebar area= 510 mm2兲, one in each corner, with a clear concrete
cover on the transverse reinforcement equal to 51 mm. The speci-
mens were loaded until failure under displacement-controlled
conditions. Failure was defined as the point at which the longitu-
dinal steel rebars began to buckle and a shear failure plan ap-
peared within the concrete core of the specimens. Restraining
steel brackets and extra lateral steel reinforcement were used on
the top and bottom parts of the columns in order to apply extra
confining pressure to the column extremities and force failure to
be limited to the instrumented middle 610 mm region of the
specimens. Load-deflection curves of the tested specimens were
generated from the recorded data. Normalized stress-strain curves
of the concrete core were then developed after filtering out the
effects of the concrete cover and longitudinal steel, assuming a
perfect bond between the steel and surrounding concrete. For con-
sistency, the loading rates on the concrete cylinder 共unconfined
concrete兲, longitudinal steel reinforcement, and column speci-
mens were all the same, equal to 0.2 mm per minute. For each
experiment, testing of the specimen and associated concrete cyl-
inders took place on the same day, usually 28 days from the day
of concrete casting.
Experimental Program
All specimens were cast in the laboratory in a horizontal position.
The reinforcement cage was built around four longitudinal steel
bars, each having a diameter equal to 25 mm. The WWF mesh
was cut to the required size of 305 mm⫻ 305 mm and simply
slipped over the longitudinal bars and tied in place at the desired
spacing. The WWF sheets were placed in bundles at a uniform
spacing that varied between 45 and 87 mm. Depending on the
transverse steel reinforcement ratio, bundles of 3 or 4 sheets were
used in the columns. Two different grid sizes for the WWF were
utilized within the core of the specimens, 102 mm⫻ 102 mm and
76 mm by 76 mm.
The concrete used in the study was normal weight, with an
average compressive strength of a 152⫻ 305 mm cylinder at the
age of 28 days equal to about 70 MPa. The maximum size of the
coarse aggregate was 12 mm. The water-cement ratio was 0.31
and the slump averaged 102 mm. The reduction in the amount of
water was compensated for by using a superplasticizer to achieve
the desired workability.
Table 1 provides the details of the transverse reinforcement for
the tested specimens. The volumetric ratio of the transverse steel
reinforcement ␳s is defined as the ratio of the total volume of
transverse steel to the volume of the core. This definition is con-
sistent with that of the ACI 318-05 共2005兲 code and is used for
conventionally reinforced columns with rectangular or circular
cross section.
Six LVDTs were used on each specimen to study their behav-
ior. Four of these LVDTs were attached to the four faces of the
column, as shown in Fig. 3. The other two LVDTs were used to
measure lateral expansion of the column at midheight and check
whether the WWF transverse reinforcement fails by yielding of
the steel wires or fracturing of the welds. These measurements
were obtained by positioning the LVDTs inside a C brace that was
specially fabricated for these tests.
Results
General Observations
Load-displacement relationships for the instrumented region of
columns transversely reinforced with WWF are shown in Fig. 4
for the case of 4 ⫻ 4 cells. The displacement was obtained by
averaging the displacements on all four faces of the middle
610 mm part of the specimen. Experimental testing showed that

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Fig. 3. Test setup

all column specimens began displaying longitudinal cracks at

about 90% of the peak load, which corresponded to an average
longitudinal strain on the surface equal to 0.20%. The cracks Fig. 5. Start of cover spalling on specimen
gradually increased and widened with increasing load until the
concrete cover began spalling off at a strain approximately equal
to 0.25%, see Fig. 5. A strain gradient developed in the columns
until the cover spalling was complete, thereafter uniform straining
peak 共Point B兲. In the final stage, denoted by Segment BC in Fig.
of the concrete core was observed, as shown in Fig. 6. All column
8, the capacity of the column began to drop, due to fracturing of
specimens exhibited a “double peak” phenomenon, thus indicat-
the welds in the WWF meshes before the wires had a chance to
ing that the WWF became effective after spalling of the concrete
yield. Fracturing of the welds allowed some of the longitudinal
cover, similar to what is expected in a spiral column. A failure
bars to buckle and formed a shear failure plan within the concrete
plane was developed in the column core after the welds of the
core.
WWF sheets fractured in the corners and the longitudinal bars
buckled out of the column, as shown in Fig. 7.
Careful examination of the load-displacement curves shows
that the load history of a column transversely confined with WWF
sheets may be divided into three stages. For illustration, test re-
sults for the specimen with ␳s = 4% are presented in Fig. 8 for the
whole column cross section as well as for the contribution of the
concrete cover, longitudinal steel bars, and the confined concrete
core. In the first stage, indicated by a parabolic curve from the
origin to Point A, the longitudinal deformation on each face of the
column is mainly uniform. In the second stage, the load drops
suddenly at the beginning following the first peak 共Point A兲 due to
spalling of the cover. A small eccentricity is developed in the
column because cover spalling is not uniform on all faces. The
WWF became effective in confining the core due to Poisson’s
effect, and the capacity of the column increased up to the second

Fig. 4. Load-displacement curves for columns with 4 ⫻ 4 cells Fig. 6. Uniform straining of specimen following cover spalling

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Fig. 7. Fracturing of welds in WWF and buckling of rebars at failure
Behavior of Confined Concrete
The behavior of confined concrete transversely reinforced with
high-volumetric ratio of WWF under axial compression is best
studied in terms of a normalized axial stress-strain diagram of the
concrete core. To obtain such a diagram from the experimental
test results of a column specimen, the contributions of the con-
crete cover and longitudinal steel rebars to the axial strength and
ductility of the specimen need to be filtered out from the results,
as shown schematically in Fig. 9. Normalization of the stress-
strain relationship of confined concrete is done with respect to the
maximum compressive strength f ⬘c and corresponding strain ␧o of
a standard 152⫻ 305 mm concrete cylinder test at 28 days. These
normalized curves allow for a rational comparison between one
stress-strain plot of a concrete core and another having different
volumetric ratio of transverse reinforcement, without regard to
variations in concrete strength. The normalized curve represents
the percent enhancement of the concrete core due to lateral rein-
forcement in a column over that of unconfined concrete from a
cylinder test, as shown in Fig. 10.
The stress-strain relation of the concrete cover was assumed to
be the same as that of a concrete cylinder up to the peak stress.
Thereafter, a 50% sudden drop in the load-carrying capacity was
assumed to take place, followed by a linear decrease in the un-
confined concrete strength down to zero. The material behavior of
Fig. 8. Details of load-displacement history for typical column
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Fig. 9. Procedure for determining load-strain relationship for
confined concrete
the longitudinal steel bars was based on the experimental tension
tests of sample bars. By assuming a complete bond between the
steel and surrounding concrete, the stresses and corresponding
axial forces in the bars at any value of longitudinal strain can be
calculated.
Fig. 11 shows normalized stress-strain curves for the confined
concrete in the column core by WWF composed of 3 ⫻ 3 cells and
4 ⫻ 4 cells. The results are presented for transverse steel volumet-
ric ratio ␳s, between 3.5 and 5.0%. They indicate the superior
behavior of HSC column cores transversely reinforced with WWF
over unconfined concrete, especially if ␳s is greater than or equal
to 4%. Columns laterally reinforced with WWF achieved higher
strength after spalling of the concrete cover than they had before
cover spalling. Further, columns with WWF sheets consisting of
4 ⫻ 4 cells 共with 76⫻ 76 mm cells兲 performed generally better
than corresponding columns reinforced with 3 ⫻ 3 cells 共with
102⫻ 102 mm cells兲, as evident by the higher strength and larger
ductility on the normalized stress-strain curves.
Modeling of Confined Concrete
The test results showed that the initial slope of the ascending
branch of the stress-strain curve of confined concrete was ap-
proximately the same as that of unconfined concrete. The shape of
the stress-strain curve suggests that it can be modeled by two
equations, one for the ascending part and another for the descend-
ing part. To develop equations for the model, one needs to deter-
mine critical points on the stress-strain curve as a function of the
important parameters, such as the volumetric ratio of transverse
steel, number or size of WWF cells within the core, etc. The most
Fig. 10. Parameters of normalized stress-strain relationship
 Table 2. Ductility and Strength Enhancement of Concrete Column Core
Volumetric Experimental Model
Specimen ratio Grid
number 共%兲 ⬘ / f c⬘ ␧cc / ␧co f cc
configuration ␧cc / ␧co f cc ⬘ / f c⬘
1 3.50 3⫻3 1.75 1.24 1.91 1.25
2 4⫻4 2.03 1.29
3 4.00 3⫻3 2.60 1.22 3.16 1.28
4 4⫻4 3.21 1.32
5 4.50 3⫻3 3.73 1.31 4.96 1.32
6 4⫻4 6.48 1.35
7 4.75 3⫻3 6.96 1.23 6.10 1.33
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8 4⫻4 6.06 1.43

9 5.00 3⫻3 6.00 1.35 7.40 1.35
10 4⫻4 8.96 1.37

and ␧cc in Eqs. 共1兲 and 共2兲 give results that are very close to the
experimental findings for both the 3 ⫻ 3 cells 共102 mm
⫻ 102 mm grid兲 and 4 ⫻ 4 cells 共76 mm⫻ 76 mm grid兲, as shown
in Table 2.
If the variable ␧co cannot be obtained experimentally from the
cylinder test, it can be approximated for HSC by 共Thornfeldt et al.
1987兲

␧co = 冉 冊冉 冊
f ⬘c
Ec
m
m−1
共3兲

where

f ⬘c
m= + 0.8 共4兲
17
The modulus of elasticity of HSC, Ec, can be obtained from
共Carrasquillo et al. 1981兲

Ec = 3,300冑 f ⬘c + 6,900 共5兲

Fig. 11. Normalized stress-strain relations for confined concrete
important point on the stress-strain curve is the peak. Analysis of
the test results for ␳s = 3.5– 5% suggests that the coordinates of
such a point can be represented by the following expressions:
f ⬘cc = 共7␳s + 1兲f ⬘c
␧cc = 共650,000␳s3.8兲␧co
where f ⬘c and ␧cc⫽peak stress and corresponding strain of con-
fined concrete; ␳s⫽volumetric ratio of WWF transverse steel 共in
decimals兲; and f ⬘c and ␧co⫽peak stress and corresponding strain of
unconfined concrete from the cylinder test. The expressions of f ⬘cc
where both f ⬘c and Ec are in megapascals.
Table 3 shows a comparison of the proposed model for the
cases of ␳s = 4 and 5% with three recently developed confinement
models, namely, Hoshikuma et al. 共1997兲, Razvi and Saatcioglu
共1999兲, and Légeron and Paultre 共2003兲. It is clear that the other
considered studies are not capable of predicting the peak stress
共1兲 and corresponding strain with reasonable accuracy. Specifically,
all three past studies grossly underestimated the value of ␧cc. This
共2兲 was expected because such models were developed for tied and/or
spiral columns, which are not as ductile as columns transversely
reinforced with WWF.
The ascending branch of the stress-strain curve of confined
concrete has been investigated extensively by many researchers.
One popular model that was developed by Mander et al. 共1988兲

Table 3. Comparison between Proposed Model and Other Models at Peak

Experimental Hoshikuma et al. 共1997兲 Razvi and Saatcioglu 共1999兲 Légeron and Paultre 共2003兲 Proposed model
Specimen
number ␳s Grid ␧cc / ␧co ⬘ / f c⬘
f cc ␧cc / ␧co ⬘ / f c⬘
f cc ␧cc / ␧co ⬘ / f c⬘
f cc ␧cc / ␧co ⬘ / f c⬘
f cc ␧cc / ␧co ⬘ / f c⬘
f cc
3 0.04 3⫻3 2.60 1.22 2.03 1.18 1.62 1.28 2.76 1.43 3.16 1.28
4 4⫻4 3.21 1.32
9 0.05 3⫻3 6.00 1.35 2.37 1.23 1.84 1.36 3.30 1.51 7.40 1.35
10 4⫻4 8.96 1.37

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Fig. 12. Comparison of proposed model with experimental results
seems to represent the experimental results closely. This model,
which is applicable in this study for strains up to ␧cc, is based on
the following expression 共Popovics 1973兲:
␧c
rf ⬘cc
␧cc
冉 冊
冉 冊
fc = 共6兲
␧c r
r−1+
␧cc
where the variable f c⫽stress in the confined concrete at a strain
equal to ␧c. The parameter r⫽function of the modulus of elastic-
ity and coordinates of the peak on the stress-strain relationship for
confined concrete, and is given by
Ec␧cc
r= 共7兲
Ec␧cc − f ⬘cc
Most studies in the past have attempted to model the descend-
ing branch of the stress-strain curve of tied or spiral columns by a
straight line because such columns exhibit residual ductility at
higher-strain levels that is usually linear in shape. This approach
cannot be used in this study because concrete confined by WWF
demonstrates nonlinear behavior throughout the strain history.
Therefore, a higher-order function is needed to model the
descending branch. An expression that was first proposed by
Hoshikuma et al. 共1997兲 to model the ascending branch of the
stress-strain relationship of concrete confined by hoops is found
in this investigation to represent the descending branch of the
stress-strain curve very well
292 / JOURNAL OF MATERIALS IN CIVIL ENGINEERING © ASCE / APRIL 2007
J. Mater. Civ. Eng. 2007.19:286-294.
冋 冉 冊册
f c = E c␧ c 1 −
1 ␧c
r ␧cc
r−1
共8兲
where all parameters in the above expression have been defined
earlier, and the above expression is applicable for strains larger
than ␧cc. Note that the above expression is not a function of the
spacing of the WWF bundles because the experimental test results
showed that for a given ␳s, the distribution of the WWF sheets
along the centerline of the column does not significantly affect the
behavior. This is because concrete specimens with ␳s ⱖ 4% result
in very tight spacing of the WWF sheets, irrespective if the WWF
sheets were bundled or uniformly spaced.
Fig. 12 shows a comparison between the proposed model,
which consists of Eqs. 共6兲 and 共8兲, and the experimental results.
The proposed model takes into account the increase in both the
peak stress and the strain at the peak stress, with an increase in
the transverse steel volumetric ratio. It fits closely with the ex-
perimental findings, consistently falling between the results of the
3 ⫻ 3 cells and 4 ⫻ 4 cells. Note that fracturing of the WWF and
subsequent buckling of the longitudinal bars occurred in the
specimens when the compressive stress was below 50% of the
peak stress. Since such damage is severe and unrepairable, the
ultimate useful strain ␧cu may be taken as the strain on the de-
scending branch of the curve corresponding to 50% of f ⬘cc.
It should be noted that the experimental results showed that
the peak stress, its corresponding strain, and the descending
branch of the stress-strain relationship depend to some extent on
the cell size 共i.e., 76 mm⫻ 76 mm or 102 mm⫻ 102 mm兲. How-
ever, this variable is not considered in this study because of the
limited number of the conducted tests. As more data become

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Fig. 13. Comparison of proposed model with other models: 共a兲
␳s = 4%; 共b兲 ␳s = 5%
available, the proposed model of the descending branch of the
stress-strain curve could be modified in the future to account for
the effect of the cell size on the behavior of the core.
Fig. 13 shows a comparison between the proposed model for
␳s = 4 and 5% with three other models, namely, Hoshikuma et al.
共1997兲, Razvi and Saatcioglu 共1999兲, and Légeron and Paultre
共2003兲. Note that the experimental results in the figure represent
the average stress-strain curve of the 3 ⫻ 3 cells and the 4 ⫻ 4
cells. Fig. 13 indicates that the proposed model predicts the ex-
perimental results more accurately than the other models, espe-
cially along the descending part of the stress-strain curve. This is
because the descending branch of the stress-strain curve of the
other models is either a straight line or a curve with upward
concavity, unlike the experimental results and the proposed
model.
Conclusions
To propose a reliable and practical stress-strain model for HSC
confined with high volumetric ratios of transverse reinforcement
in the form of WWF, a series of tests were conducted on ten
full-scale specimens in the laboratory. The study leads to the fol-
lowing conclusions:
1. The coordinates of the peak point on the stress-strain rela-
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS IN CIVIL ENGINEERING © ASCE / APRIL 2007 / 293
J. Mater. Civ. Eng. 2007.19:286-294.
tionship of HSC confined with WWF can be obtained from
Eqs. 共1兲 and 共2兲. They indicate an increase in the peak stress
and corresponding strain with an increase in the transverse
steel volumetric ratio.
2. The initial stiffness of confined concrete prior to cracking is
independent of the transverse steel reinforcement ratio.
Hence, the modulus of elasticity of confined concrete may be
assumed to be equal to that of unconfined concrete.
3. The ascending curve up to the peak of the stress-strain rela-
tionship of concrete confined with WWF can be adequately
approximated by the model originally proposed by Popovics
共1973兲 and shown in Eq. 共6兲.
4. The descending curve from the peak to the ultimate useful
strain ␧cu indicates the ductility of the material and can be
modeled using Eq. 共8兲, independent of the cell geometry.
5. The compressive stress in the tested specimens was below
50% of the peak stress following fracturing of the welds of
the WWF and buckling of the longitudinal rebars. Since such
damage is severe, the ultimate useful strain may be taken as
the strain on the descending branch of the curve correspond-
ing to 50% of peak stress.
Acknowledgments
The writer would like to thank his former student Mr. Ehi
Lambert-Aikhionbare of EagleSpan Steel Structures, Inc., Love-
land, Colorado, for conducting the laboratory experiments.
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