Abstract
Finite element analyses are conducted to model the tensile capacity of steel fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC). For this purpose dog-bone specimens are casted and tested under direct and uniaxial tension. Two types of aggregates (brick and stone) are used to cast the SFRC and plain concrete. The fiber volume ratio is maintained 1.5 %. Total 8 numbers of dog-bone specimens are made and tested in a 1000-kN capacity digital universal testing machine (UTM). The strain data are gathered employing digital image correlation technique from high-definition images and high-speed video clips. Then, the strain data are synthesized with the load data obtained from the load cell of the UTM. The tensile capacity enhancement is found 182–253 % compared to control specimen to brick SFRC and in case of stone SFRC the enhancement is 157–268 %. Fibers are found to enhance the tensile capacity as well as ductile properties of concrete that ensures to prevent sudden brittle failure. The dog-bone specimens are modeled in the ANSYS 10.0 finite element platform and analyzed to model the tensile capacity of brick and stone SFRC. The SOLID65 element is used to model the SFRC as well as plain concretes by optimizing the Poisson’s ratio, modulus of elasticity, tensile strength and stress–strain relationships and also failure pattern as well as failure locations. This research provides information of the tensile capacity enhancement of SFRC made of both brick and stone which will be helpful for the construction industry of Bangladesh to introduce this engineering material in earthquake design. Last of all, the finite element outputs are found to hold good agreement with the experimental tensile capacity which validates the FE modeling.
Highlights
Concrete shows a low tensile strength in comparison to the compressive strength, which grows only less proportionally with increasing compressive strength; at the same time, the brittleness increases
In fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC), on the other hand, fibers crossing the crack interfaces significantly contribute to the load-carrying mechanism so that considerable tensile stress, being the sum of the tensile resistance provided by fibers and tension softening of the concrete matrix, respectively, can be achieved even with large crack widths (Lee et al 2011)
The tensile capacity enhancement is found to be 253, 204 and 182 % compared to control specimen for brick steel fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC) made of end enlarged fibers, straight fiber and 50–50 mixed fibers, respectively
Summary
Concrete shows a low tensile strength in comparison to the compressive strength, which grows only less proportionally with increasing compressive strength; at the same time, the brittleness increases. Fibers are increasingly being used in concrete structures to compensate for concrete’s weak and brittle tensile behavior relative to its compression response. One of the most beneficial aspects of the use of fibers in concrete structures is that non-brittle behavior after concrete cracking can be achieved with fibers. The tensile stress sustainable in concrete rapidly decreases immediately after cracking. In fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC), on the other hand, fibers crossing the crack interfaces significantly contribute to the load-carrying mechanism so that considerable tensile stress, being the sum of the tensile resistance provided by fibers and tension softening of the concrete matrix, respectively, can be achieved even with large crack widths (Lee et al 2011). The enhanced tensile stress behavior attainable with fibers should be realistically evaluated to accurately predict the post-cracking response of FRC. The bond resistance of reinforcing bars embedded in concrete depends primarily on frictional resistance and mechanical
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