Statistical variations in impact resistance of steel fiber-reinforced concrete subjected to drop weight test

Abstract

The variation in impact resistance of steel fiber-reinforced concrete and plain concrete as determined from a drop weight test is reported. The observed coefficients of variation are about 57 and 46% for first-crack resistance and the ultimate resistance in the case of fiber concrete and the corresponding values for plain concrete are 54 and 51%, respectively. The goodness-of-fit test indicated poor fitness of the impact-resistance test results produced in this study to normal distribution at 95% level of confidence for both fiber-reinforced and plain concrete. However, the percentage increase in the number of blows from first crack to failure for both fiber-reinforced concrete and as well as plain concrete fit to normal distribution as indicated by the goodness-of-fit test. The coefficient of variation in percentage increase in the number of blows beyond first crack for fiber-reinforced concrete and plain concrete is 51.9 and 43.1%, respectively. Minimum number of tests required to reliably measure the properties of the material can be suggested based on the observed levels of variation.