Experimental and numerical simulation of bond-slip in textile-reinforced concrete for multiple bond lengths

Abstract

The rise in the use of lightweight and sustainable structural systems in the construction industry opened the chance to improve conventional construction methods. To produce a slender structural member, the use of textile in concrete, herein referred to as textile-reinforced concrete (TRC), has been explored. The textile used is primarily carbon, producing a lightweight and durable construction material. The TRC possesses vast possibilities in terms of its usage, however, identification of accurate bond-slip behaviour at the materials interface is one of the limitations that need to be addressed. Based on the literature, there are difficulties in determining the bond-slip relationship both experimentally and numerically, creating inconsistency in the results. This study aims to determine the bond-slip relation of TRC through pull-out tests and finite element analysis in order to replicate the actual bond-slip behaviour at the interface. The bond characteristics of TRC were assessed using pull-out specimens with different bond lengths of textile, i.e.; 20 mm, 40 mm, and 60 mm. A double-sided unsymmetrical test setup with equal clamp lengths is used for the experimental work. Using a tri-linear bond-slip interface relation, the numerical model is developed to establish the microscopic interface behaviour. The bond failure due to pull-out and rupture are observed in the pull-out test. Finally, the experimental results are compared with numerical modelling, and the results are in good agreement.