Mechanical properties of fiber-reinforced concrete with adapted rheology

Abstract

This paper aims to assess and enhance the prediction of mechanical properties of fiber-reinforced self-consolidating concrete (FR-SCC) and fiber-reinforced superworkable concrete (FR-SWC) that can be used for infrastructure construction and rehabilitation. The mechanical properties included compressive strength (f'cf), splitting tensile strength (f'spf), flexural strength (frf), and elastic modulus (Ecf) and their increase with curing time. A total of 69 FR-SCC and FR-SWC mixtures were used in this investigation that involved the consideration of test results of 1467 cylindrical and 106 prismatic specimens tested at 3–365 days of age. The mixture parameters included fiber type (five types), fiber volume (0.25%–0.75%), material characteristics, mixture proportioning, admixture type and combination, as well as consolidation energy in the case of FR-SWC, and curing. The measured mechanical properties were compared to values estimated from 35 different models that take into consideration the fiber characteristics.Test results indicate that the mean experimental-to-theoretical ratio (mean exp/theo) and corresponding coefficients of variation (COV) obtained with the original models that yielded the best prediction (one model for each mechanical property) were 0.98–1.06 and 11%–18%, respectively. The best original models were then modified and new proposed models were developed, leading to mean exp/theo values of 1.00–1.02 and COV values of 8%–11%.