A new test method for evaluating the long-term performance of fiber-reinforced concrete pipes

Abstract

Synthetic fibers have been used recently to minimize the need for steel reinforcement in the concrete pipe to enhance their ductility. However, synthetic fiber has properties that may change over time due to its viscoelastic behavior. The objective of this study is to investigate the long-term performance of fiber-reinforced concrete pipes using a new test frame. A three-dimensional finite element model was created for the long-term testing frame to ensure its compliance with the American Society for Testing and Materials requirement. The finite element results showed that the testing frame successfully transferred the load to the concrete as the pipe cracked at the location where high flexural stresses are expected. Concrete pipe reinforced with synthetic fiber dosage of 9 kg/m3 along the steel reinforcement area of 5.7 cm2/m was tested to evaluate the concrete pipe system performance. The pipe was tested under two load stages for 120 days each. Load stages 1 and 2 included applying 40% and 70% of the ultimate load obtained by the authors in a previous study, respectively. The strain and deflection increased linearly within 5 days of applying the load and then leveled off. The pipe showed a slight increase in the crack width and deflection, indicating that fiber creep did not have a significant impact on the long-term performance of the concrete pipe. Also, it was observed that strain values surpassed those for plain concrete material, suggesting that including synthetic fiber in the concrete pipe mix enhanced the pipe ductility.