Impact of Void Geometry, Size, and Location on the Structural Behavior of RC Hollow Beams: A Review
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Reinforced concrete (RC) hollow beams have been increasingly adopted in structural applications due to their potential for reducing self-weight, material consumption, and environmental impact without significantly compromising structural performance. This review investigates the influence of void geometry, size, and location on the structural behaviour of RC hollow beams. Previous experimental and numerical studies were comprehensively examined to evaluate their effects on load-carrying capacity, cracking behaviour, deflection, ductility, and failure modes. The findings indicated that the presence of voids generally resulted in a reduction in first cracking and ultimate load; however, this reduction was often disproportionately small compared to the achieved concrete volume savings. Circular voids were found to be more effective than square or rectangular voids in preserving strength and enhancing ductility. The location of the void played a crucial role, as placing hollows near the neutral axis or within the tension zone minimized adverse effects on structural performance. Increasing void size led to higher deflections and reduced stiffness, particularly when the void area exceeded approximately 10% of the gross cross-sectional area. The incorporation of additional materials such as steel fibers, steel or aluminium inserts, and fiber-reinforced polymer strengthening systems was shown to significantly improve strength, ductility, and failure behaviour. Numerical simulations using finite element software demonstrated strong agreement with experimental results, confirming their reliability for predicting hollow beam behaviour. Overall, RC hollow beams were demonstrated to be an efficient and sustainable structural solution when void characteristics were properly optimized.
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