ABSTRACT
The transition between the columns of building and foundation had been used the pile-cap structural elements. The most appropriate method for the pile caps design is the Strut and Tie model. In most cases in the structural project is not considered the influence of certain parameters: the columns cross section and the amount of longitudinal reinforcement columns. This paper studies the effect of the variability of the geometric section of square and rectangular columns, with different longitudinal reinforcement rates, in the main reinforcement traction two pile caps. The basis for study was development experimental program in the Structures Laboratory of EESC-USP . The traction reinforcement bars strains are reduced the pile-caps central section to pile-caps sections that approximate cutting axis shows the experimental results. In models with columns of elongated rectangular section and with great reinforcement rates this reduction is smaller.
Keywords:
pile caps; reinforced concrete; foundations; method of strut and tie
