Influence of fusion-bonded epoxy-coated reinforcement on beam deformation and rotation capacity

Fusion-bonded epoxy-coated reinforcement (FBECR) was introduced with the aim of improving durability of concrete structures. The smooth surface of the coating, however, affects the interaction, or bond, between reinforcement and concrete. This paper describes a series of tests on 12 beams designed to examine the influence coating exerts on beam behavior at both service and ultimate loads. Coating was found to increase deformations at service load levels, but to have no effect on plastic rotation capacity. It is concluded that design guidance in codes should be amended to reflect the reduction in tension stiffening where coated bars are used, but that there is no need to alter code rules for redistribution of moments. Results also demonstrated that span-depth ratio, a factor considered in few design codes, influences rotation capacity to a significant extent.