• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.331-343
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• 2017

In this study a polymer concrete, made up of natural aggregates and an orthophthalic polyester binder, reinforced with natural Alfa fibers has been studied. The results of flexural testing of unreinforced polymer concrete with different rates of charges (marble) showed that the concrete with 20% of marble is stronger and more rigid compared to other grades. Hence, a rate of 20% of marble powder is selected as the optimal value in the development of polymer concrete reinforced Alfa fibers. The fracture results of reinforced polymer concrete with 1 and 2 wt% of chopped untreated or treated Alfa fibers showed that treated Alfa (5% NaOH) fiber reinforced polymer concrete has higher fracture properties than other composites. We believe that this type of concrete provides a very promising alternative for the building industry seeking to achieve the objectives of sustainable development.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.335-349
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• 2017

To cope with the demand on giant and durable buildings, reinforcement of concrete is a practical problem being extensively investigated in the civil engineering field. Among various reinforcing techniques, fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC) has been proven to be an effective approach. In practice, such fibers include steel fibers, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers, polyacrylonitrile (PAN) carbon fibers and asbestos fibers, with the length scale ranging from centimeters to micrometers. When advancing such technique down to the nanoscale, it is noticed that carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are stronger than other fibers and can provide a better reinforcement to concrete. In the last decade, CNT-reinforced concrete attracts a lot of attentions in research. Despite high cost of CNTs at present, the growing availability of carbon materials might push the usage of CNTs into practice in the near future, making the reinforcement technique of great potential. A review of existing research works may constitute a conclusive reference and facilitate further developments. In reference to the recent experimental works, this paper reports some key evaluations on CNT-reinforced cementitious materials, covering FRC mechanism, CNT dispersion, CNT-cement structures, mechanical properties and fire safety. Emphasis is placed on the interplay between CNTs and calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) at the nanoscale. The relationship between the CNTs-cement structures and the mechanical enhancement, especially at a high-temperature condition, is discussed based on molecular dynamics simulations. After concluding remarks, challenges to improve the CNTs reinforcement technique are proposed.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.197-206
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• 2023

In this paper, the bending performance of a MSFRHPC (containing steel fiber, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fiber, and CW)-reinforced beam was studied for the first time. Introducing a multiscale fiber system increased the first crack load (up to 150%), yield load (up to 50%), and peak load (up to 15%) of reinforced beams. The multiscale fiber system delays cracking of the reinforced beam, reduces crack width of the reinforced beam in normal use, and improves the durability of the beam. Considering yield load and peak load, the reinforcing effect of multiscale fiber on the high-reinforcement ratio beam (1.00%) is better than that on the low-reinforcement ratio beam (0.57%). Introducing fibers slowed the development of cracks in the reinforced beam under bending. With the added hybrid fiber, the deformation concentration of reinforced beams after yield was more significant with concentration in 1 or 2 cracks. A model for predicting the flexural capacity of MSFRHPC-reinforced beams was proposed, considering the action of multiscale hybrid fibers. This research is helpful for structure application of MSFRHPC-containing CW.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.159-172
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• 2019

This paper presents an investigation into the flexural behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) beams retrofitted by ultra-high performance fiber-reinforced concrete (UHPFRC) layers. The experimental study has been conducted in two parts. In the first part, four methods of retrofitting with UHPFRC layers in both the up and down sides of the beams have been proposed and their efficiency in the bonding of the normal concrete and ultra-high performance fiber-reinforced concrete has been discussed. The results showed that using the grooving method and the pre-casted UHPFRC layers in comparison with the sandblasting method and the cast-in-place UHPFRC layers leads to increase the load carrying capacity and the energy absorption capacity and causes high bond strength between two concretes. In the second part of the experimental study, the tests have been conducted on the beams with single UHPFRC layer in the down side and in the up side, using the effective retrofitting method chosen from the first part. The results are compared with those of non-retrofitted beam and the results of the first part of experimental study. The results showed that the retrofitted beam with two UHPFRC layers in the up and down sides has the highest energy absorption and load carrying capacity. A finite element analysis was applied to prediction the flexural behavior of the composite beams. A good agreement was achieved between the finite element and experimental results. Finally, a parametric study was carried out on full-scale retrofitted beams. The results indicated that in all retrofitted beams with UHPFRC in single and two sides, increasing of the UHPFRC layer thickness causes the load carrying capacity to be increased. Also, increases of the normal concrete compressive strength improved the cracking load of the beams.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.413-429
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• 2016

A theoretical method to predict the interfacial stresses in the adhesive layer of reinforced concrete beams strengthened with externally bonded carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) plate is presented. The analysis provides efficient calculations for both shear and normal interfacial stresses in reinforced concrete beams strengthened with composite plates, and accounts for various effects of Poisson's ratio and Young's modulus of adhesive. Such interfacial stresses play a fundamental role in the mechanics of plated beams, because they can produce a sudden and premature failure. The analysis is based on equilibrium and deformations compatibility approach developed by Tounsi. In the present theoretical analysis, the adherend shear deformations are taken into account by assuming a parabolic shear stress through the thickness of both the reinforced concrete beam and bonded plate. The paper is concluded with a summary and recommendations for the design of the strengthened beam.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.323-338
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• 2000

An analytical approach for the prediction of the behaviour of steel-fiber reinforced concrete beams subjected to torsion is described. The analysis method employs a special stress-strain model with a non-linear post cracking branch for the material behaviour in tension. Predictions of this model for the behaviour of steel-fiber concrete in direct tension are also presented and compared with results from tests conducted for this reason. Further in this work, the validation of the proposed torsional analysis by providing comparisons between experimental curves and analytical predictions, is attempted. For this purpose a series of 10 steel-fiber concrete beams with various cross-sections and steel-fiber volume fractions tested in pure torsion, are reported here. Furthermore, experimental information compiled from works around the world are also used in an attempt to establish the validity of the described approach based on test results of a broad range of studies. From these comparisons it is demonstrated that the proposed analysis describes well the behaviour of steel-fiber concrete in pure torsion even in the case of elements with non-rectangular cross-sections.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.90 no.5
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• pp.481-492
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• 2024

This research examined the mechanical behavior of fiber-reinforced concrete at unstable environmental conditions. Concrete composites with varying percentages of steel and glass fibers were analyzed. Compressive, indirect tensile, and fracture toughness properties were evaluated using the Edge Notched Disc Bend (ENDB) test under freezing-thawing and acidic environments and the results were compared with normal conditions. Steel fibers decreased the strength in the specified cycles, while glass fibers showed a normal strength trend. The compressive, tensile and fracture toughness of the samples containing 1.5 vol.% fibers showed a 1.28-, 2.13- and 4.5-fold enhancement compared to samples without fibers, after 300 freezing-thawing cycles, respectively.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.1-20
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• 2023

This study presents the experimental results performed to evaluate the effects of Polyvinyl-alcohol (PVA) and Polypropylene (PP) fibers on the fresh and residual mechanical properties of the hybrid fiber reinforced SCC before and after the exposure of 250℃, 500℃ and 750℃ temperatures. The compressive and splitting tensile strength, modulus of rupture (MOR), ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) as well as toughness and weight loss were investigated at different temperatures. PVA and PP fibers were added into SCC mixtures having only macro steel fiber and also having binary hybridization of both macro and micro steel fiber. The results showed that the use of micro steel fiber replaced by macro steel fiber improved the fresh and hardened properties compared to the use of only macro steel fiber. Moreover, it was emphasized that PVA or PP enhanced the residual flexural performance of SCC, generally, while it negatively influenced the workability, weight loss, UPV and the residual strengths with regards to the use of single steel fiber and binary steel fiber hybridization. Compared to the effect of synthetic fibers, PP had slightly more positive effect in the view of workability while PVA enhanced the residual mechanical properties more.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.661-677
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• 2016

The quasi static test of the steel reinforced concrete (SRC) bridge piers and rigid frame arch bridge structure with SRC piers was conducted in the laboratory, and the seismic performance of SRC piers was compared with that of reinforced concrete (RC) bridge piers. In the test, the failure process, the failure mechanism, hysteretic curves, skeleton curves, ductility coefficient, stiffness degradation curves and the energy dissipation curves were analyzed. According to the $M-{\Phi}$ relationship of fiber section, the three-wire type theoretical skeleton curve of the lateral force and the pier top displacement was proposed, and the theoretical skeleton curves are well consistent with the experimental curves. Based on the theoretical model, the effects of the concrete strength, axial compression ratio, slenderness ratio, reinforcement ratio, and the stiffness ratio of arch to pier on the skeleton curve were analyzed.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.533-546
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• 2019

This study presents an experimental investigation on six beam-column joint specimens under the lateral cyclic loading. The aim was to explore the effectiveness of steel fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC) in reducing the transverse shear stirrups in beam-column joints of the reinforced concrete (RC) frames with strong-columns and weak-beams. Two RC and four SFRC specimens with different types of reinforcement detailing and steel fibers of volume fraction in the range of 0.75-1.5% were tested under gradually increasing cyclic displacements. The main parameters investigated were lateral load-resisting capacity, hysteresis response, energy dissipation capacity, stiffness degradation, viscous damping variation, and mode of failure. Test results showed that the diagonally bent configuration of beam longitudinal bars in the beam-column joints resulted in the shear failure at the joint region against the flexural failure of beams having straight bar configurations. However, all SFRC specimens exhibited similar lateral strength, energy dissipation potential and mode of failure even in the absence of transverse steel in the beam-column joints. Finally, a methodology has been proposed to compute the shear strength of SFRC beam-column joints under the lateral loading condition.