ABSTRACT
Precast concrete hollow core slabs are often designed with a limited concrete cover considering the high quality control for prefabricated members. However, experiments on prestressed concrete members have illustrated that corrosion can lead to a substantial reduction in the load carrying capacity, which can eventually lead to a structural failure. Although the design of hollow core slabs typically assumes simply supported boundary conditions, the support conditions of these units in real structures are often restrained, especially in the central part of a large hollow core slab floor. In case of restrained end supports, compressive membrane action can be activated, which can considerably enhance the load-carrying capacity. This can delay or even prevent a progressive collapse, increase the structural reliability and consequently increase the robustness of the structure. This paper presents a numerical study on the positive effect of axial and rotational restraints and the formation of compressive membrane action in case of corroded prestressed hollow core slabs in relation to its ability to prevent a structural collapse in case of severe corrosion.
