• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.321-335
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• 2010

This article describes a laboratory research on stabilizing tropical peat using ordinary Portland cement (OPC) as a binding agent, and polypropylene and steel fibres as chemically inert additives. California bearing ratio (CBR) and unconfined compressive strength (UCS) tests were carried out to evaluate the increase in the strength of the stabilized samples compacted at their optimum moisture contents and air cured for up to 90 days. The results show that the UCS values of stabilized peat samples increased by as high as 748.8% by using OPC (5%), polypropylene fibres (0.15%), and steel fibres (2%). The CBR values of the samples stabilized with OPC (5%), polypropylene fibres (0.15%), and steel fibres (4%) showed an increase of as high as 122.7%. The stabilized samples showed a shrinkage in volume upon air curing and this shrinkage was measured by an index called, volume shrinkage index (VSI). The highest VSI recorded was 36.19% for peat without any additives; and the minimum was 0% for the sample containing 30% OPC, 0.15% polypropylene fibres and 2% steel fibres. The technique of stabilizing peat with OPC, polypropylene and fibres, coupled with air curing, appears to be cost-effective compared with other frequently used techniques.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.283-293
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• 2015

This paper presents the effects of elevated temperatures of $400^{\circ}C$ and $800^{\circ}C$ on the residual compressive strength and failure behaviour of fibre reinforced concretes and comparison is made with that of unreinforced control concrete. Two types of short fibres are used in this study e.g., steel and basalt fibres. The results show that the residual compressive strength capacity of steel fibre reinforced concrete is higher than unreinforced concrete at both elevated temperatures. The basalt fibre reinforced concrete, on the other hand, showed lower strength retention capacity than the control unreinforced concrete. However, the use of hybrid steel-basalt fibre reinforcement recovered the deficiency of basalt fibre reinforced concrete, but still slightly lower than the control and steel fibres reinforced concretes. The use of fibres reduces the spalling and explosive failure of steel, basalt and hybrid steel-basalt fibres reinforced concretes oppose to spalling in deeper regions of ordinary control concrete after exposure to above elevated temperatures. Microscopic observation of steel and basalt fibres surfaces after exposure to above elevated temperatures shows peeling of thin layer from steel surface at $800^{\circ}C$, whereas in the case of basalt fibre formation of Plagioclase mineral crystals on the surface are observed at elevated temperatures.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.127-143
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• 2015

Steel fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC) is an anisotropic material due to the random orientation of the fibres within the cement matrix. Fibres under different inclination angles provide different strength contribution of a given crack width. For that the pull-out response of inclined fibres is of great importance to understand SFRC behaviour, particularly in the case of fibres with hooked ends, which are the most widely used. The paper focuses on the numerical modelling of the pull-out response of this kind of fibres from high-strength cementitious matrix in order to study the effects of different inclination angles of the fibres to the load-displacement pull-out curves. The pull-out of the fibres is studied by means of accurate three-dimensional finite element models, which take into account the nonlinearities that are present in the physical model, such as the nonlinear bonding between the fibre and the matrix in the early stages of the loading, the unilateral contact between the fibre and the matrix, the friction at the contact areas, the plastification of the steel fibre and the plastification and cracking of the cementitious matrix. The bonding properties of the fibre-matrix interface considered in the numerical model are based on experimental results of pull-out tests on straight fibres.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.23-29
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• 2017

In this study engineered steel fibres used as reinforcement for concrete were characterized by number of key mechanical and spatial parameters, which are easy to measure and quantify. Such commonly used parameters as length, diameter, fibre intrinsic efficiency ratio (FIER), hook geometry, tensile strength and ductility were considered. Effective classification of various fibres was demonstrated using simple multivariate computations involving principal component analysis (PCA). Contrary to univariate data mining approach, the proposed analysis can be efficiently adapted for fast, robust and direct classification of engineered steel fibres. The results have revealed that in case of particular spatial/geometrical conditions of steel fibres investigated the FIER parameter can be efficiently replaced by a simple aspect ratio. There is also a need of finding new parameters describing properties of steel fibre more precisely.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2020

This study intends to produce an ultra-high performance fibre reinforced concrete (UHPFRC) made with hybrid fibres (i.e., steel and polypropylene). Compressive and tensile strength characteristics of the hybrid fibres UHPFRC are considered. A total of 14 fibre-reinforced composites (FRCs) with different fibre contents or types of fibres were prepared and tested in order to determine a suitable hybrid fibre combination. The compressive and tensile strengths of each concrete at 7 days were determined. The results showed that a hybrid mix of micro-polypropylene and steel fibres exhibited good compromising performances and is the ideal reinforcement mixture in a strong, cost-effective UHPFRC. In addition, maximum compressive strength of 167 MPa was achieved for UHPFRC using 1.5% steel fibres blended with 0.5% macro-polypropylene fibres.

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.325-335
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• 2016

This paper studies the effects of steel fibre geometry and architecture on the cracking behaviour of steel fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC), with the reinforcements being four types, namely 5DH ($Dramix^{(R)}$ hooked-end), 4DH, 3DH-60 and 3DH-35, of various hooked-end steel fibres at the fibre dosage of 40 and $80kg/m^3$. The test results show that the addition of steel fibres have little effect on the workability and compressive strength of SFRC, but the ultimate tensile loads, post-cracking behaviour, residual strength and the fracture energy of SFRC are closely related to the shapes of fibres which all increased with increasing fibre content. Results also revealed that the residual tensile strength is significantly influenced by the anchorage strength rather than the number of the fibres counted on the fracture surface. The 5DH steel fibre reinforced concretes have behaved in a manner of multiple crackings and more ductile compared to 3DH and 4DH ones, and the end-hooks of 4DH and 5DH fibres partially deformed in steel fibre reinforced self-compacting concrete (SFR-SCC). In practice, 5DH fibres should be used for reinforcing high or ultra-high performance matrixes to fully utilize their high mechanical anchorage.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.305-318
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• 2013

Engineering properties such as compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, modulus of rupture, modulus of elasticity and Poisson's ratio of geopolymer concrete (GPC) and steel fibre reinforced geopolymer concrete (SFRGPC) have been obtained from standard tests and compared. A total of 15 specimens were tested for determining each property. The grade of concrete used was M 40. The percentages of steel fibres considered include 0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75% and 1%. In general, the addition of fibres improved the mechanical properties of both GPC and SFRGPC. However the increase was found to be nominal in the case of compressive strength (8.51%), significant in the case of splitting tensile strength (61.63%), modulus of rupture (24%), modulus of elasticity (64.92%) and Poisson's ratio (50%) at 1% volume fraction of fibres. An attempt was made to obtain the relation between the various engineering properties with the percentage of fibres added.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.479-484
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• 2020

This work performed to analyses the impact of hooked end steel fibres on the mechanical properties of high performance concrete. The mechanical properties considered incorporate compressive strength, split tensile strength and flexural strength. Taking in to thought parameters, such as, volume fraction of fibres, fibre aspect ratio and grade of concrete, a logical strategy called Taguchi technique was utilized to discover the ideal blend of factors. L9 Orthogonal Array (OA) of Taguchi network comprising of three variables and three dimensions is utilized in this work. The evaluations of concrete considered were M60, M80 and M100. M60 contained 15% of metakaolin as bond swap though for M80 it was 5% of metakaolin and for M100 it was 10% metakaolin and 10% of silica smolder. The volume portion of fiber was fluctuated by 0.5%; 1% and 1.5% and the viewpoints proportions considered were 50, 60 and 80. The test outcomes demonstrate that incorporation of steel fibres enhance significantly the the strength characteristics of concrete, predominantly the splitting tensile strength and flexural strength. In light of relapse investigation of the test information scientific models were produced for compressive strength, split tensile strength and flexural strength of the steel fibre-reinforced high performance concrete.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.309-324
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• 2014

In the design of reinforced concrete structural walls, in order to ensure adequate inelastic displacement behaviour and to sustain deformation demands imposed by strong ground motions, special reinforcement is considered while designing. However, these would lead to severe reinforcement congestion and difficulties during construction. Addition of randomly distributed discrete fibres in concrete improves the flexural behaviour of structural elements because of its enhanced tensile properties and this leads to reduction in congestion. This paper deals with effect of addition of steel fibres on the behavior of high performance fibre reinforced cement concrete (HPFRCC) slender structural walls with the different volume fractions of steel fibres. The specimens were subjected to quasi static lateral reverse cyclic loading until failure. The high performance concrete (HPC) used was obtained based on the guidelines given in ACI 211.1 which was further modified by prof.Aitcin (1998). The volume fraction of the fibres used in this study varied from 0 to 1% with an increment of 0.5%. The results were analysed critically and appraised. The study indicates that the addition of steel fibres in the HPC structural walls enhances the first crack load, strength, initial stiffness and energy dissipation capacity.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.237-250
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• 2015

Beam-column joints are highly vulnerable locations which are to be designed for high ductility in order to take care of unexpected lateral forces such as wind and earthquake. Previous investigations reveal that the addition of steel fibres to concrete improves its ductility significantly. Also, due to presence of slab the strength and ductility of the beam increases considerably and ignoring the effect of slab can lead to underestimation of beam capacity and defiance of strong column weak beam concept. The influence of addition of steel fibres on the strength and behaviour of steel fibre reinforced high performance concrete (SFRHPC) interior beam-column-slab joints was investigated experimentally. The specimens were subjected to reverse cyclic loading. The variable considered was the volume fraction of crimped steel fibres i.e., 0%, 0.5% and 1.0%. The results show that the addition of steel fibres improves the first crack load, strength, ductility, energy absorption capacity and initial stiffness of the beam.