First Crack and Yield Load of Fanpalm Reinforced Concrete Slabs

The importance of cracks and crack width in reinforced concrete member is so vital and is considered as a very important parameter under serviceabity limit state design of concrete elements. Fanpalm is one of the locally available and has been studied as a suitable alternative to steel reinforcements. The need to study the cracks and cracks patterns for concrete slabs reinforced with fanpalm is the concern of this study. Fanpalm specimens were cut, shaped to desired flexural reinforcements sizes. Then used as reinforcements for concrete slabs of 124 mix and cured in water for 28 days. Flexural strength tests were carried out to evaluate the load causing the first visible crack and the load causing full development of yield lines of fanpalm reinforcement concrete slabs were observed. The theoretical yield load is lower compared with the observed experimental yielding loads. The results reveal that the cracks increases with increased in load. As the load systematically increases there is another sudden changes in deflection at yield points. The highest percentage reinforcement 72 %and 65 % on y and x plane respectively occurred on slab SL2 with corresponding value of 15.4 kN and 29.48 kN of yield load and First crack load respectively