Abstract
This study proposes a prediction model to evaluate the failure bond strength of the untreated and epoxy-treated reinforcement bars having a wide range of bar diameter (D-b), bar length (L-b), coating thickness (C-w) and the compressive strengths of concrete (f(c)). In order to achieve the stated objective, a total of 462 records were collected, compiled, and prepared an extensive database from the past experimental studies. Various regression models were performed between the four independent variables D-b, L-b, C-w and f(c), and the response variable of the failure bond force of reinforcement (P-f). Using the statistical significance and the diagnostics of the validation of all models, the empirical equation that represented the best fit to the data points was proposed. The study revealed that the predicted bond strength showed a very good correlation with R-2 of 94.45% and 93.35% with the experimental values for the training (304 data records) and validation (158 data records) datasets, respectively. Further rationalization of the model proposed herein was also investigated using the experimental data of three existing studies, and the results reconfirmed the similar conclusion; the proposed empirical equation was capable of predicting the failure bond force of untreated and epoxy treated reinforcement. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.