Experimental, theoretical and digital image correlation methods to assess bending performance of RC beams with recycled glass powder replacing cement.

This study investigates the use of Waste Glass Powder (WGP) as a proportional replacement for cement in sustainable concrete production. In addition, changes in the bending capacity of the Reinforced Concrete (RC) Beams were examined by adding WGP at different rates (0%, 10%, 20%, 30%) to RC Beams with different steel reinforcement ratios (ρ = 0.0077 i.e. Φ8, ρ = 0.0121 i.e. Φ10, ρ = 0.0174 i.e. Φ12). To pursue this goal, 12 test specimens were evaluated and then confirmed to explore the bending productivity. The amount of longitudinal bar section area and WGP proportion were chosen as the key parameters. For this aim, experimental and analytical investigations were carried out by replacing cement with WGP in weight ratios of 10%, 20%, and 30% and considering three different longitudinal reinforcements (ρ = 0.0077 i.e. Φ8, Φ10, Φ12). The test results showed that tension reinforcement section area and WGP proportion dimensions had dissimilar rupture and flexure effects on RC Beams. Furthermore, investigational tests are confirmed with the help of the Digital Imagining Method, and the image processing method was used to identify the cracks/microcracks in RC Beams. Consequently, it is observed that each WGP ratio in the concrete combination has dissimilar bending and rupture properties on the RC Beams for experimental tests-10% of partial replacement of cement. It was found that a WGP ratio of more than 10% can significantly reduce the bending capacity of RC Beams. When the experimental test beams were compared with the analytical results, it was observed that the experimental results and analytical calculations are in agreement.