FLEXURAL BEHAVIOR OF STEEL FIBER REINFORCED CONCRETE

BEAMS

HAMID PESARAN BEHBAHANI

A project report submitted in partial fulfillment of the

requirements for the award of the degree of

Master of Engineering (Civil-Structure)

Faculty of Civil Engineering

Universiti Technologi Malaysia

APRIL, 2010
v

ABSTARCT

Concrete is good in compression but week in tension that is, concrete is a

brittle material. So, in order to improve the tensile properties, short fibers are used.
Effects of steel fibers on flexural performance of reinforced concrete (RC) beams
are the main objectives of this study. The hooked-end steel fibers with the
dimensions of 0.75 mm in diameter, 50 mm in length and with the aspect ratio of 67
were used in this study. Initially the optimum percentage addition of steel fibers in
concrete was determined. In order to accomplish this task, several concrete prisms
and cubes with the same mix proportioning of concrete and different volume
fractions of steel fiber (0.5 %, 1%, 1.5 %, and 2 %) were prepared. Then, by
determining the flexural and compressive strength of samples, it was concluded that
the optimum volume fraction was 1 % ( 78.5𝑘𝑔 𝑚3 ). In the next step,the flexural
behavior of RC beams with the addition of steel fibers with lower and higher
compressive strength of concrete was considered. The study was conducted on two
types of concrete with different grades of 30 and 50. For each grade of concrete, two
beams were cast which steel fiber was included in one of the beams, with the
addition of 1% volume fraction, and the other beam was considered as control beam.
The overall dimensions of the beams were 170 mm in height, 120 mm in width, and
2400 mm in length. The beams were tested under four-point loading test. The results
showed that addition of steel fibers in concrete increases the first crackingload,
ultimate load, stiffness and ductility of the concrete beams. Furthermore, the addition
of steel fibers has more effect on the properties of RC beams with higher concrete
grade compared to lower grade.
vi

ABSTRAK

Konkrit merupakan bahan yang kuat dalam mampatan tetapi lemah dalam tegangan
iaitu ia adalah bahan yang rapuh. Oleh itu untuk meningkatkan sifat tegangan konkrit
gentian pendek digunakan. Kesan gentian keluli terhadap prestasi lenturan rasuk konkrit
bertetulang adalah objektif utama kajian ini. Gentian keluli yang mempunyai hujung
bengkok berdiameter 0.75 mm, panjang 50 mm dan nisbah aspek bernilai 67 digunakan
dalam kajian ini. Pada peringkat permulaan kadar optima penambahan gentian ditentukan.
Bagi mencapai tujuan ini beberapa prisma dan kiub konkrit dengan kadar bahan campuran
konkrit yang sama dan peratus gentian yang berbeza (0.5%, 1%, 1.5% dan 2%) telah
disediakan. Hasil daripada penentuan kekuatan tegangan dan mampatan sampel telah
diperolehi kadar optima gentian keluli ialah 1% (78.5kg/m3).Seterusnya kelakunan lenturan
rasuk konkrit bertetulang dengan penambahan gentian keluli menggunakan dua kekuatan
konkrit yang rendah dan tinggi telah dibuat. Kajian dilakukan menggunakan dua gred
konkrit berbeza iaitu gred 30 dan 50. Bagi setiap gred konkrit dua rasuk dibuat dengan satu
rasuk ditambah 1% gentian keluli dan rasuk kawalan. Ukuran keseluruhan rasuk ialah 170
mm tinggi, 120 mm lebar, dan 2400 mm panjang. Rasuk telah diuji di bawah pembebanan
empat titik. Keputusan menunjukkan penambahan gentian keluli meningkatkan beban
retakan, beban maksimum, kekukuhan dan kemuluran rasuk konkrit. Selain daripada itu,
penambahan gentian keluli mempunyai kesan yang lebih terhadap sifat-sifat rasuk konkrit
yang bergred lebih tinggi berbanding konkrit gred rendah.
vii

TABLE OF CONTENT

CHAPTER TITLE PAGE

TITLE PAGE i
DECLARATION ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv
ABSTRACT v
TABLE OF CONTENT vii
LIST OF TABLES x
LIST OF FIGURES xi

1 INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Introduction 1
1.2 Problem Statement 3
1.3 Thesis Objectives 3
1.4 Scope of study 3
1.5 Structure of Thesis 4

2 LITERATURE REVIEW 5
2.1 General 5
2.2 Different Types of Fibers 6
2.3 Steel Fiber Reinforced Concrete 8
2.4 Disadvantage of Addition of Steel Fibers in to Concrete 11
2.5 Application of Steel Fibre Reinforced Concrete 12
2.6 Mechanical Properties of Steel Fibre Reinforced 13
Concrete
2.6.1 Compressive Strength 14
viii

2.6.2 Shear Strength 15

2.6.3 Tensile Strength 16
2.6.4 Impact Resistance 17
2.6.5 Durability 17
2.6.6 Flexural Strength and Toughness 19
2.6.6.1 Effects of Steel Fibers on Flexural 22
Behavior of RC Beams
2.6.6.2 Effects of Aspect Ratio on Flexural 25
Strength of Steel Fiber Reinforced Concrete
2.6.6.3 Effects of Volume Fraction on Flexural 28
Strength of Steel Fiber Reinforced Concrete

3 METHODOLOGY 30
3.1 Introduction 30
3.2 Determining Optimum Addition of Steel Fibers in 30
Concrete
3.2.1 Compressive Strength Test 31
3.2.2 Flexural Strength Test 32
3.2.3 Vebe Time Test 32
3.3 Flexural Performance of SFRC Beams with Lower and 33
Higher Compressive Strength of Concrete
3.3.1 Four-Point Loading Test 34
3.3.2 Steel Reinforcement Design and Preparation of 35
Steel Bars
3.3.3 Preparation of Formwork 36
3.4 Materials 36
3.5 Mix Proportioning 38
3.6 Method for Mixing the Concrete 39
3.7 Curing Method of Specimens 40
ix

4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 41

4.1 General 41
4.2 Determining Optimum Addition of Steel Fibers in 42
concrete
4.2.1 Compressive Strength Results 42
4.2.2 Flexural Strength Results 43
4.2.3 Workability 44
4.2.4 Discussions to Determine Optimum Addition of 45
Steel Fibers
4.3 Flexural Performance of SFRC Beams with Lower and 46
Higher Compressive Strength of Concrete
4.3.1 Ultimate Strength 46
4.3.2 Load-Deflection 46
4.3.3 Steel Strain 48
4.3.4 Mode of Failure 49

5 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 51

5.1 Conclusion 51
5.2 Recommendations 52
References 53
x

LIST OF TABLES

TABLE NO. TITLE PAGE

2.1 General Properties of Fibers[Johnson,Colin D., 1980] 8

2.2 Average Flexural Strength of Different Combinations of Concrete 20
Measured on 150 x 150 x 750 mm Prisms (Fatih Altun et al., 2005)
2.3 Results of the Bending Experiments on RC and SFARC beams 24
(Fatih Altun et al. 2005)
2.4 Summary of Results-Concrete (1:2:3, 0.60) Speciemen with 1.0 28
Percent by Volume of Reinforcement in Flexure

3.1 Summary of Testing Programs to Obtain Optimum Volume Fraction 32

of Steel Fibers in SFRC
3.2 Summary of Testing Program to Study Flexural Performance of 33
SFRC Beams
3.3 Properties of Cement 37
3.4 Specification of Steel Fibers which Used in This Study 38
3.5 Mix Proportioning of the Concrete Grades 30 and 50 39

4.1 Compressive Strength of Normal and Steel Fiber Added Concrete 42

Cubes
4.2 Flexural Strength of SFRC and Normal Concrete Prisms 44
4.3 Vebe Time Test for Determining the Workability 44
4.4 Ultimate Load and First Crack Load of RC Beams 46
4.5 Ultimate Load and Deflection at Ultimate Load 48
4.6 Cracking Properties of the RC Beams 50
xi

LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE NO. TITLE PAGE

2.1 Fiber Classifications [James Patrick Maina Mwangi, 1985] 7

2.2 Different Shapes of Steel Fibers (ACI544.IR 1996) 9
2.3 Load-Deflection Curves for Plain and Fibrous Concrete (ACI 1996) 10
2.4 Effects of Steel Fibers Content on Compressive Stress-Strain Curve 15
of FRC (Padmarajaiah and Ramaswamy 2002)
2.5 Influence of Fibre Content on Tensile Strength (Johnstone ACI- 16
SP44-Detrpit 1974)
2.6 Effect of Fibre Content on Concrete Electrical Resistivity (Chih-Ta 19
Tsai et al., 2008)
2.7 Effects of Volume of Fibres in Flexure (Shah et al. 1971) 21
2.8 Effects of Volume of Fibers in Tension and Toughness (US Army 22
Corps of Engineers 1965)
2.9 Experimental Moment versus Deflection Curves for SFRC Beams 23
(Craig 1984)
2.10 The Effect of wl/d on the Flexural Strength of Mortar and Concrete 25
(Johnston 1974)
2.11 The Effect of wl/d on the Flexural Toughness of SFRC (Johnston 26
1974)
2.12 A Range of Load-Deflection Curves Obtained in the Testing of 27
Steel Fibre Reinforced Concrete (Johnston 1982)

3.1 Cube Test Arrangement 31

3.2 Beam Test Schematic (all dimensions are in mm) 34
3.3 Four Point Loading Test 34
3.4 Cross Sections of RC Beams 35
3.5 Arrangement of Reinforcement Bars and Wooden Formwork 36
xii

3.6 Strain Gauge Installation at the Center of Reinforcement Bars 36

3.7 Hooked End Shape Steel Fibers used in this Study 38

4.1 Compressive Strength Vs Age of Mixes with Diffretent Percentage 43

of Steel Fibers
4.2 Load versus Deflection Graph of the Beams 47
4.3 Load versus Steel Strain Curve 48
4.4 Mode of Failure of Lower Strength RC Beam after Failure 49
4.5 Mode of Failure of Higher Strength RC Beam after Failure 49
4.6 Mode of Failure of Lower Strength SFRC Beam after Failure 49
4.7 Mode of Failure of Higher Strength SFRC Beam after Failure 49
CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction

Concrete is by far one of the most important building materials and its
consumption is increasing in all countries and regions around the globe. The reasons
are many such as: its components are available everywhere and relatively
inexpensive, its production may be relatively simple, and its application covers large
variety of building and civil infrastructure works. In addition, it has the lowest cost
to strength ratio compared to other available materials.

One of the characteristics of the plain concrete is low tensile strength, and
low tensile strain capacities; that is, concrete is a brittle material. Thus concrete
require reinforcement before it can be used extensively as construction material.
Historically this reinforcement has been in the form of continuous reinforcing bars
which could be placed in the structure at the appropriate locations to withstand the
imposed tensile and shear stresses. Fibers, on the other hand, are generally, short
discontinuous, and are randomly distributed throughout the concrete to produce a
2

new construction material, known as Fiber Reinforced Concrete (FRC). Fibers used
in cement-based materials are primarily made of steel, glass, and polymer or derived
from natural materials. Since fibers tend to be more closely spaced than
conventional reinforcing bars, they are better at controlling cracking. It is important
to recognize that, in general, fiber reinforcement is not a substitute for conventional
reinforcement. Fibers and steel bars have different roles to play in modern concrete
technology, and there are many applications in which both fibers and continuous
reinforcing bars should be used.

Initially, fibers are used to prevent and control plastic and drying shrinkage
in the concrete. After some research and improvement, the addition of fibers
material in the concrete can also improve the other concrete properties such as
flexural toughness, flexural strength fatigue resistance, impact resistance, and post-
crack strength. The behavior of FRC can be classified in to three groups according to
application, fiber volume fraction and fiber effectiveness. Such classification leads
to :1) very low volume fraction of fiber (<1%), which has been used for many years
now such as age plastic shrinkage control or pavement reinforcement, 2) moderate
volume fraction of fiber (l%-2%) for improvement of modulus of rupture (MOR),
fracture toughness, impact resistance and other desirable mechanical properties, and
3) high volume fractions of fibers (more than 2%) for special applications such as
impact and blast resistance structure.s

The type of fibers which will be used in this study is Steel Fibre. Steel fibers
are the most popular material for the reinforced concrete. The performance of the
Steel Fiber Reinforced Concrete (SFRC) has shown a significant improvement in
flexural strength and overall toughness if compared to plain reinforced concrete.
3

1.2 Problem Statement

As it is mentioned, concrete is good in compression but week in tension that

is, concrete is a brittle material. So, in order to improve the tensile properties, short
fibers are used. Effects of steel fibers on flexural performance of RC beams are what
will be investigated in this study.

1.3 Thesis Objectives

The objectives of this study are as follows:

i. To determine the optimum percentage of steel fibers in SFRC.
ii. To study the flexural behavior of SFRC beams compared with conventional
reinforced concrete beams.
iii. To study the flexural performance of SFRC beams with lower and higher
concrete strength and compared with conventional reinforced concrete beams.

1.4 Scope of study

The scope of study is established to achieve the objectives and this study will
be mainly concentrated on experimental works. Experiments regarding to the
flexural strength test on the SFRC beams will be carried out in order to study the
flexural behavior of the beams. The shape and characteristics of steel fibers which
are used in this study are explained in Chapter 3. All testing methods and procedures
are specified according to British Standard or American Society Testing Method.
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