Techno Press
You logged in as Techno Press

Steel and Composite Structures
  Volume 41, Number 3, November10 2021 , pages 317-334
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12989/scs.2021.41.3.317
 


Flexural rigidity and ductility of RC beams reinforced with steel and recycled plastic fibers
Walid Mansour and Sabry Fayed

 
Abstract
    This study compares between the mechanical properties of concrete either reinforced with recycled plastic (RP) or end-hooked steel (EHS) fibers with volume fractions of 1, 2 and 3%. Also, the effects of the fiber type and volume fraction on flexural responses were investigated using experimental program composed of seven reinforced concrete (RC) beams. Generally, results showed that the RP and EHS fibers remarkably enhanced both the mechanical characteristics of concrete and the flexural capacity of RC beams. Specifically, concrete matrix that reinforced with 2% volume fraction of RP or EHS fibers exhibited the highest capacities among all tested specimens. On the other hand, the compressive and the tensile strengths of the fibrous concrete which strengthened with 3% volume fraction (either RP or EHS fibers) were lower than their counterparts that reinforced with lower volume fraction (2%). As the fiber volume fraction increased up to 2%, the peak load of the RC beams increased followed by a reduction for higher fiber volumes. The peak load of the RC beam specimens reinforced with 2% of RP and EHS fibers were 57.1 kN and 60.7 kN, respectively compared to 39.6 kN for the control RC beam. Both RP and EHS fibers had a positive effect on the (effective/gross) flexural rigidity ratio, especially when used with volume fraction lower than 3%. RC beams reinforced with 1% of RP and EHS fibers yielded higher ductility in comparison with 2 and 3%. An analytical model constructed based on the distribution of stress-strains along the height of the RC beam was used to estimate the bending moments at different stages. Results well agreed with the experimental records.
 
Key Words
    analytical model; ductility index; end-hooked steel fiber; flexural rigidity; recycled plastic fiber; stiffness
 
Address
Walid Mansour and Sabry Fayed: Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Kafrelsheikh University, Box 33511, Kafrelsheikh, Egypt
 

Techno-Press: Publishers of international journals and conference proceedings.       Copyright © 2024 Techno Press
P.O. Box 33, Yuseong, Daejeon 305-600 Korea, Tel: +82-42-828-7996, Fax : +82-42-828-7997, Email: admin@techno-press.com