Experimental investigation of 0.6 in. diameter strand lifting loops

Very little experimental data have been published relating to the pullout capacity of prestressing strand lifting loops. To address this gap in knowledge, 13 pullout tests were conducted on strand lifting loops with 0.6 in. (15.24 mm) diameter, 270 ksi (1860 MPa) strand. Straight and bent orientations were tested for single loops at different embedment depths. Loops were embedded in 12 in. (304.8 mm) wide and 44 in. (1117.6 mm) deep concrete blocks and subjected to monotonic, static loading until failure. Marginal bond quality of the strand (18.2 kip [81 kN]), Mohs hardness (3.6), and concrete strength (3000 psi [20.7 MPa]) resulted in an average bond stress value of 400 psi (2758 kPa) at failure. Most tests exhibited pullout failure modes and adequate ductility. Three loops tested at 32 in. (812.8 mm) embedment with 6 in. (152.4 mm), 90-degree bends experienced brittle side-face blowout failures. These failures were due to inclination of the lifting, which led to a reduced edge distance. A safe uniform bond stress of 199 psi (1372 kPa) is recommended for 0.6 in. diameter strand.