Title: Impact Tests on Cement-Based Fiber Reinforced Composites

Author(s): N. Banthia, K. Chokri, and J. F. Trottier

Publication: Symposium Paper

Volume: 155

Issue:

Appears on pages(s): 171-188

Keywords: cements; composite materials; fiber reinforced concretes; fracture properties; impact tests; mortars (material); strength; Materials Research

DOI: 10.14359/934

Date: 8/1/1995

Abstract:
Describes the construction of two simple impact machines, one small with a capacity of 100 Joules and the other large with a capacity of 1000 Joules, designed to conduct impact tests on fiber reinforced mortars and concretes in the uniaxial tensile mode. During a test, the applied load, accelerations, and velocities are measured such that with a proper analysis scheme, the raw data can be analyzed to obtain fundamental material properties under impact loading. Carbon, steel, and polypropylene micro-fiber reinforced mortars and steel fiber reinforced concrete were tested; it was demonstrated that the proposed technique is a simple and rational method of obtaining meaningful material properties. In general, fiber reinforced composites were found to be more impact resistant than their unreinforced counterparts, with the improvements found to be proportional to the fiber volume fraction. In addition, both the unreinforced matrix as well as fiber reinforced composites were found to be stress-rate sensitive, but the extent of sensitivity observed was smaller than usually reported in the literature for cement-based materials under uniaxial tensile loading.