Title: Correlation of Tensile and Flexural Response of Continuous Polypropylene Fiber Reinforced Cement Composites

Author(s): Vikram Dey, Jacob Bauchmoyer, Chidchanok Pleesudjai, Steve Schaef, and Barzin Mobasher

Publication: Symposium Paper

Volume: 345

Issue:

Appears on pages(s): 230-242

Keywords: Textile Reinforced Concrete (TRC), Fiber Reinforced Concrete (FRC), Polypropylene Fibers, Filament Winding, Tensile response, Flexural response, Digital Image Correlation, Constitutive Relationship

DOI: 10.14359/51731584

Date: 2/1/2021

Abstract:
The influence of engineered hydrophilic polypropylene fibers in the formation of distributed cracking and the associated strengthening and toughening of cement-based composites under mechanical loading was studied by conducting, correlating, and modeling tensile and flexural tests. An automated filament winding system was used to manufacture continuous fiber composites. Composites with continuous fibers consisting of low modulus surface-modified hydrophilic macro-synthetic polypropylene fibers were compared for their reinforcing ability with fibrillated micro-synthetic fibers. The digital image correlation technique was used for damage characterization using quantitative analysis of crack width, spacing, and correlated with the tensile response and stiffness degradation. It was observed that the mechanical properties as well as crack-spacing and composite stiffness were significantly affected by the microstructure and dosage of continuous fibers. Procedures for correlating tension and flexural test results were introduced using closed-form solution approaches for strain hardening materials.