Optimization of anchorage system fort the fatigue testing procedure of steel wires and strands for the prestressing of concrete

Abstract

The selection of the anchorage system to be used in the fatigue testing of wires and strands for the prestressing of concrete, as well as in those carried out on any other unaxial structural element, is extremely important in order to be succesfull on the testing procedure to be performed. This work analyzes the way to optimize one of the more frecuently used anchorage system in such tests: steel tubing covers at the gripped portions of the specimen, filled up with an epoxi resin mortar as a bonding agent. The obtained conditions of anchorage preparation and grippingprocedure that optimize the fatigue tests, have been stablished for 0,6"" sevenwire strands but has been proved to be also usefull to any other specimens such wires, flat specimens, for either fatigue or tensile tests.