Revision on Material Strength of Steel Fiber-Reinforced Concrete

Abstract

Many studies have been performed on steel fiber-reinforced normal/high-strength concrete (SFRC, SFRHC) for years, which is to improve some of the weak material properties of concrete. Most of equations for material strengths of SFRHC, however, were proposed based on relatively limited test results. In this research, therefore, the material test results of SFR(H)C were extensively collected from literature, and material tests have conducted on SFR(H)C; compressive strength tests, splitting tensile tests, and modulus of rupture tests. Based on the extensive test data obtained from previous studies and this research, a database of SFR(H)C material strengths has been established, and improved equations for material strengths of SFR(H)C were also proposed. Test results showed that both the splitting tensile strength and the modulus of rupture of SFR(H)C increased as the volume fraction of steel fiber increased, while the effect of the steel fiber volume fraction on the compressive strength of SFR(H)C were not clearly observed. The proposed equations for the splitting tensile strength and the modulus of rupture of SFR(H)C showed better results than the previous equations examined in this study in terms of not only accuracy but also safety/reliability.