Reinforced concrete coupling beam confined by discontinuous steel plates

Abstract

A new type of reinforced concrete coupling beam confined by discontinuous steel plates is proposed. The proposed coupling beam confined includes longitudinal reinforcements, transverse reinforcements, concrete, and first and second web side steel plates. Longitudinal reinforcements are placed along the first direction. Transverse reinforcements are placed perpendicular to the first direction and to enclose the longitudinal reinforcements. Longitudinal reinforcements and transverse reinforcements are embedded in the concrete to form a reinforced concrete coupling beam. The reinforced concrete coupling beam has first and second surfaces opposite to each other on web sides, and third and fourth surfaces opposite to each other on flange sides. The first web side steel plate is placed on the first surface of the reinforced concrete coupling beam. The second web side steel plate is placed on the second surface of the reinforced concrete coupling beam.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A reinforced concrete coupling beam confined by discontinuous steel plates, comprising:
 longitudinal reinforcements placed along a first direction;   transverse reinforcements placed perpendicular to the first direction and enclosing the longitudinal reinforcements;   a concrete, wherein the longitudinal reinforcements and the transverse reinforcements are embedded in the concrete to form a reinforced concrete coupling beam which has a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other on web sides, and a third surface and a fourth surface opposite to each other on flange sides, wherein the first surface, the second surface, the third surface, and the fourth surface are substantially parallel to the first direction;   a first web side steel plate placed on the first surface of the reinforced concrete coupling beam, wherein a vertical projection area of the first web side steel plate on the first surface is smaller than an area of the first surface; and   a second web side steel plate placed on the second surface of the reinforced concrete coupling beam, wherein a vertical projection area of the second web side steel plate on the second surface is smaller than an area of the second surface.   
     
     
         2 . The reinforced concrete coupling beam confined by the discontinuous steel plates of  claim 1 , wherein the reinforced concrete coupling beam is free of a diagonal reinforcement. 
     
     
         3 . The reinforced concrete coupling beam confined by the discontinuous steel plates of  claim 1 , wherein the concrete is not a fiber concrete. 
     
     
         4 . The reinforced concrete coupling beam confined by the discontinuous steel plates of  claim 1 , further comprising several fixing elements penetrating the first web side steel plate and the second web side steel plate. 
     
     
         5 . The reinforced concrete coupling beam confined by the discontinuous steel plates of  claim 4 , wherein the fixing elements comprise a screw and a nut. 
     
     
         6 . The reinforced concrete coupling beam confined by the discontinuous steel plates of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first surface has a first edge and a second edge that are substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and a third edge and a fourth edge that are substantially parallel to the first direction,   the first web side steel plate has a first end and a second end that are substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and a third end and a fourth end that are substantially parallel to the first direction,   on the first surface, there is a first gap between the first edge and the first end, a second gap between the second edge and the second end, a third gap between the third edge and the third end, and a fourth gap between the fourth edge and the fourth end.   
     
     
         7 . The reinforced concrete coupling beam confined by the discontinuous steel plates  claim 6 , wherein at least one of transverse reinforcements is placed in the first gap and the second gap. 
     
     
         8 . The reinforced concrete coupling beam confined by the discontinuous steel plates of  claim 6 , wherein on the first surface, the first gap is ranged from about 2 cm to about 5 cm, the second gap is ranged from about 2 cm to about 5 cm, the third gap is ranged from about 2 cm to about 5 cm, and the fourth gap is ranged from about 2 cm to about 5 cm. 
     
     
         9 . The reinforced concrete coupling beam confined by the discontinuous steel plates of  claim 6 , wherein
 the second surface has a first edge and a second edge that are substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and a third edge and a fourth edge that are substantially parallel to the first direction,   the second web side steel plate has a first end and a second end that are substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and a third end and a fourth end that are substantially parallel to the first direction,   on the second surface, there is a first gap between the first edge and the first end, a second gap between the second edge and the second end, a third gap between the third edge and the third end, and a fourth gap between the fourth edge and the fourth end.   
     
     
         10 . The reinforced concrete coupling beam confined by the discontinuous steel plates of  claim 9 , wherein on the second surface, the first gap is ranged from about 2 cm to about 5 cm, the second gap is ranged from about 2 cm to about 5 cm, the third gap is ranged from about 2 cm to about 5 cm, and the fourth gap is ranged from about 2 cm to about 5 cm. 
     
     
         11 . The reinforced concrete coupling beam confined by the discontinuous steel plates of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first flange side steel plate placed on the third surface of the reinforced concrete coupling beam, wherein a vertical projection area of the first flange side steel plate on the third surface is smaller than an area of the third surface; and   a second flange side steel plate placed on the fourth surface of the reinforced concrete coupling beam, wherein a vertical projection area of the second flange side steel plate on the fourth surface is smaller than an area of the fourth surface.   
     
     
         12 . The reinforced concrete coupling beam confined by the discontinuous steel plates of  claim 11 , further comprising several fixing elements penetrating the first flange side steel plate and the second flange side steel plate. 
     
     
         13 . The reinforced concrete coupling beam confined by the discontinuous steel plates of  claim 12 , wherein the fixing elements comprise a screw and a nut. 
     
     
         14 . The reinforced concrete coupling beam confined by the discontinuous steel plates of  claim 11 , wherein
 the third surface has a first edge and a second edge that are substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and a third edge and a fourth edge that are substantially parallel to the first direction,   the first flange side steel plate has a first end and a second end that are substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and a third end and a fourth end that are substantially parallel to the first direction,   on the third surface, there is a first gap between the first edge and the first end, a second gap between the second edge and the second end, a third gap between the third edge and the third end, and a fourth gap between the fourth edge and the fourth end.   
     
     
         15 . The reinforced concrete coupling beam confined by the discontinuous steel plates of  claim 14 , wherein on the third surface, the first gap is ranged from about 2 cm to about 5 cm, the second gap is ranged from about 2 cm to about 5 cm, the third gap is ranged from about 2 cm to about 5 cm, and the fourth gap is ranged from about 2 cm to about 5 cm. 
     
     
         16 . The reinforced concrete coupling beam confined by the discontinuous steel plates of  claim 11 , wherein
 the fourth surface has a first edge and a second edge that are substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and a third edge and a fourth edge that are substantially parallel to the first direction,   the second flange side steel plate has a first end and a second end that are substantially perpendicular to the first direction, and a third end and a fourth end that are substantially parallel to the first direction,   on the fourth surface, there is a first gap between the first edge and the first end, a second gap between the second edge and the second end, a third gap between the third edge and the third end, and a fourth gap between the fourth edge and the fourth end.   
     
     
         17 . The reinforced concrete coupling beam confined by the discontinuous steel plates of  claim 16 , wherein on the fourth surface, the first gap is ranged from about 2 cm to about 5 cm, the second gap is ranged from about 2 cm to about 5 cm, the third gap is ranged from about 2 cm to about 5 cm, and the fourth gap is ranged from about 2 cm to about 5 cm.