Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
JOURNAL OF BUILDING ENGINEERING, cilt.99, 2025 (SCI-Expanded)
Cold joints, formed due to interruptions in the concrete placement process, significantly impact the mechanical behavior of concrete structures. This study comprehensively examines the detrimental effects of cold joints on the mechanical properties of concrete. Field and laboratory experiments were conducted to evaluate the compressive and flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, toughness, and fracture energy of concrete specimens containing cold joints. Compressive tests were performed at a loading rate of 0.5MPa/s, while flexural tests were conducted at a loading rate of 0.05MPa/s. The influence of cold joint orientation (vertical, horizontal, or angled) on crack formation, failure mechanisms and mechanical behavior was examined. Microstructural analysis was employed to understand the underlying mechanisms of strength reduction. Additionally, numerical modeling was utilized to simulate the behavior of concrete with cold joints. The test results indicated that if a cold joint is necessary in the compressive zone, it should be located at a position of 0.5 and at an angle of 90 degrees. For the flexural zone, a cold joint location of 0.75 and an angle of 45 degrees were determined to be optimal. The results of this study offer valuable insights into the effects of cold joints on concrete structures and contribute to the development of strategies to mitigate their adverse effects.