Influence of geometry to the fatigue characteristic of reinforcing bar : the neural network approach

Abstract

Reinforced concrete (RC) Structures are frequently subjected to repeated loads, also called cyclic loads, and the resulting cyclic stresses can lead to microscopic physical damage to the materials involved. Even at stresses well below a given material's ultimate strength, this damage can accumulate with continued cycling until it develops into a crack that leads to brittle fracture failure of the structure. Brittle fracture does not have any telltale sign such as yielding of material before failure, which is extremely dangerous, if it is not well taken care.