Abstract:
Construction industry in PAKISTAN is passing through a rapid
change whereby the existing knowledge of engineering principles, to
introduce new construction techniques for building lighter structures without
impairing their strength and durability seems to be insufficient.
Deflection of a structural member while taking loads are somewhat
related to its self weight, and if the self weight is reduced, obviously its
deflection will be less. For the same density of material used self weight can
be reduced by introducing hollowness in the member cross-section and this
hollowness creation should be such that its strength and other important
parameters are comparable with that of same size solid structural member.
This is most appropriately possible in RCC beams where it is easy to
eliminate use of concrete below neutral axis thus creating hollowness without
reduction of its load taking capacity. Doing so hollow RCC beams will prove
more economical because of less self- weight and causing less load on
columns and foundations.
With above in view, this experimental study was undertaken to prove
that a hollow RCC beam by omitting concrete below the neutral axis gives
comparable strength as that of a solid beam having same cross-sectional
dimensions and same span length. The results obtained through this study
are quite encouraging and will prove a guide in designing and providing
hollow beams in future constructions.
1.2) PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The project is aimed at testing hollow and solid RCC beams of same
dimensions and span length so as to compare their load taking capacity at
different limit states.
1.3) AIM AND OBJECTIVE
Basic objective of this project is to bring economy by using less
material without reduction in strength. This use of less material will reduce
overall weight of the structure and therefore will result in smaller sizes of other
members too. Intensive investigations have, however,
