Comparative flexural behavior of four fiber reinforced cementitious composites

TLDR: In this paper, the flexural behavior of fiber reinforced cementitious composites (FRCC) with four different types of fibers and two volume fraction contents (0.4% and 1.2%) within a nominally identical mortar matrix (56 MPa compressive strength).

Abstract: This research investigates the flexural behavior of fiber reinforced cementitious composites (FRCC) with four different types of fibers and two volume fraction contents (0.4% and 1.2%) within a nominally identical mortar matrix (56 MPa compressive strength). The four fibers are high strength steel twisted (T-), high strength steel hooked (H-), high molecular weight polyethylene spectra (SP-), and PVA-fibers. The tests were carried out according to ASTM standards. The T-fiber specimens showed best performance in almost all aspects of behavior including load carrying capacity, energy absorption capacity and multiple cracking behavior, while the PVA-fiber specimens exhibited comparatively the worst performance in all aspects of response. The only category in which SP-fiber specimens outperformed T-fiber specimens was deflection capacity, where SP-specimens exhibited the highest deflection at maximum load. By comparing the test results to data from an additional test program involving the use of a higher strength mortar (84 MPa) with both H- and T-fibers, it is shown that, again, T-fibers perform significantly better than H-fibers in a higher strength matrix. The test results from both experimental programs were used to critique the new ASTM standard [C 1609/C 1609M-05], and a few suggestions were made for improving the applicability of the standard to deflection-hardening FRCCs.