Model Test of Two Span High-Strength Concrete Continuous Beams with External Prestress

Four different high-strength concrete continuous beams are designed with different external prestresses and made of different concrete materials (high-strength concrete or steel-fiber- reinforced high-strength concrete), and tested under static load to study their structural behaviors. The test results show that: the crack distribution and propagation of the externally prestressed continuous beams are similar to those of the non-bond prestressed concrete; using steel fiber to improve the cracking load in negative moment region is effective, and the steel fiber reinforcement can not only hinder cracks propagation, but also cause cracks to close after unloading; and conventional reinforcing steel bars are favorable to separating cracks and restricting cracks propagation.