Fracture of Sifcon Under Combined Tensile and Shearlike Loading

Abstract

AbstractIn a series of preliminary experiments, the shear stiffness degradation and ’shear’ failure mechanisms of pre-cracked Slurry Infiltrated Fiber CONcrete (SIFCON) were studied. The specimens were first subjected to axial tension (in displacement control), whereafter a lateral shear was applied over the crack band. Variables in the investigation were the direction of loading with regard to the main fiber direction, and the axial crack opening before shearing. The degradation of shear stiffness resembles that of normal concrete at low crack openings, but seems governed by fiber action at larger crack openings. At low crack openings, shear failure was observed in the sense of an array of inclined tensile microcracks. At larger crack openings, inclined cracks developed through coalescence of preexisting tensile cracks.