Simplified technique for constitutive analysis of SFRC.
Meskenas, Adas ; Gribniak, Viktor ; Kaklauskas, Gintaris 等
Introduction
Steel fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC) is a cement based composite
material reinforced with discrete randomly distributed fibres. A
sufficient quantity of fibres (normally greater than 15 kg/[m.sup.3])
added to the conventional concrete may have both technical and economic
advantages, such as improved ductility, corrosion resistance and
substantial reduction of laborious reinforcement work (Gribniak et al.
2013b). Despite its extensive and long-term use in specific areas, e.g.
industrial floors and underground shotcrete structures, steel fibres
have not occupied the general market of concrete structures. One of the
main reasons is that the major design codes do not cover SFRC
structures.
Quantification of the post-cracking strength of SFRC (provided by
interaction between fibres and concrete) becomes a rather complicated
issue due to diversity in the shape, material properties and bond
characteristics of fibres (Gribniak et al. 2012). Post-cracking strength
as the main parameter, describing behaviour of SFRC, appears because of
its capability to sustain tensile stresses due to interaction between
concrete and fibres crossing the crack plane. Tensile stresses, which
appear in a cracked SFRC, are often referred as residual. For
investigation of post cracking behaviour of SFRC, both direct and
inverse techniques can be used. The direct analysis is dedicated to the
prediction of SFRC response using the specified material models, whereas
the inverse analysis aims at determination of the parameters of a
material model employing the constitutive test results (Kaklauskas et
al. 2011).
Generally, SFRC can be considered as a concrete with randomly
dispersed fibres or as a homogeneous material--conventional concrete
with improved material properties. In the first case, post-cracking
response of the material is defined through meso-scale models (Lofgren
2005; Jones et al. 2008; Fuggini et al. 2013). At this research level,
the bridging of the crack is based on the number of fibres across the
crack plane and on concrete and fibre bond interaction properties during
the crack opening. Involving a large number of generally stochastic
parameters, such models tend to be very complex. Moreover, computational
implementation of these models is time consuming. Therefore, the
research carried out on the macro-scale and being associated to the
inverse analysis is commonly proceeded analysing SFRC as a homogeneous
material. Most of the models found in literature propose simple and
continuous non-differentiable constitutive diagrams that are
characterised through macroscopic material properties. These approaches
focus either on residual stress-strain ([[sigma].sub.fr]-[epsilon])
(RILEM 2003; Dupont 2003) or on residual stress-crack opening width
([[sigma].sub.fr]-w) relationships (DBV 2001; RILEM 2002a; DafStb 2010).
Several test methods may be used to determine, directly or
indirectly, residual strength of cracked SFRC. The axial tension test
appears to be the most fundamental and straightforward method to define
the fracture properties of a material, as the tensile stress-crack width
([[sigma].sub.fr]-w) relationship can be directly determined from the
test results. However, the axial tension test is rather complicated to
perform and it has been shown that the experimental results are affected
by the test equipment and specimen interaction (RILEM 2001; Dupont 2003;
Pujadas et al. 2013). Typically, bending tests of standard size (small
in respect of full scale elements) beam specimens are the most currently
used to characterize the post-cracking response of SFRC. These can be
based either on three-point bending tests on notched or un-notched
specimens (RILEM 2003; CEN 2005) or on four-point bending tests (DBV
2001; CNR 2007). Based on these test results and the inverse analysis
techniques, the tensile strength and the residual stresses are defined,
which can be further used for the strength, deflection or crack width
analysis of SFRC members (Dupont 2003; Slowik et al. 2006). It should be
pointed out that a large scatter of the test results often accompanies
the standard experiments on SFRC. It mainly depends on the number of
fibres crossing the crack plane (Di Prisco et al. 2006; Gribniak et al.
2012).
Seeking to reduce the scatter of experimental results, an
alternative and novel approach for obtaining residual stresses from beam
tests was recently proposed by the authors (Gribniak et al. 2012, 2013
c). Unlike the standard techniques based on tests of small bending
specimens, the proposed approach uses data of moment-curvature diagrams
obtained from flexural tests on full scale SFRC beams with bar
reinforcement. Solving the inverse deformation problem, when the model
parameters are selected in accordance to the given response of a real
structure, an average stress-average strain relationship of SFRC in
tension is derived. As it can be seen from the Figure 1, the obtained
stresses for the SFRC members at a given strain consist of the stresses
due to the tension-stiffening effect and the residual stresses due to
fibre and concrete interaction. Thus, residual stresses can be
quantified as the difference of stresses obtained for the SFRC and
conventional RC elements. In this figure, [f.sub.ct] and
[[epsilon].sub.cr] are the reference tensile strength and cracking
strain, respectively; [[sigma].sub.fr] is the residual tensile stress
due to fibre interaction with concrete; [[sigma].sub.ct] and
[[epsilon].sub.ct] are the average stress and average strain of concrete
in tension.
It can be pointed out that the fibre effect on tension-stiffening
is related with two aspects: type and content of fibres and structural
composition of the section. With the increasing area of bar
reinforcement, relative influence of fibres to the stiffness of cracked
element will decrease (Gribniak et al. 2012; Lee et al. 2013). With
decreasing cover of bar reinforcement, effectiveness of fibres might
increase due to the restrained longitudinal crack opening. Application
of micro-fibres can also give a positive effect on bond strength (Chao
et al. 2009). In general, higher amount of fibres might increase the
residual stresses; however, it can lead to higher possibility of
structural defects (for instance, balling effect) and therefore reduce
the bond strength. Holschemacher et al. (2010) and Ganesan et al. (2014)
performed extensive investigation on this issue.
[FIGURE 1 OMITTED]
[FIGURE 2 OMITTED]
The current paper is dedicated to the determination of
post-cracking behaviour of SFRC in tension. Seeking universality, the
methodology for constitutive analysis of SFRC is proposed. The developed
inverse technique determines residual stresses of SFRC in mechanically
sound manner. Adequacy of the proposed technique was validated using
experimental data of standard (small) and full-scale beams employing the
derived residual strength models into nonlinear finite element analysis
program ATENA as material law of SFRC in tension.
1. Constitutive modelling of SFRC
One of the ways to define the post-cracking behaviour of SFRC was
proposed by Naaman (2003). A simple analytical expression for residual
strength was suggested accounting pull-out length ratio, the efficiency
factor of fibre orientation in respect to the crack plane, and the group
reduction factor associated with the number of fibres pulling out per
unit area of the crack:
[f.sub.r] = [[lambda].sub.1] x [[lambda].sub.2] x [[lambda].sub.3]
x [tau] x F; F = [V.sub.f] x [l.sub.f]/[b.sub.f] x [beta], (1)
where: [[lambda].sub.1] is the expected pull-out length ratio;
[[lambda].sub.2] is the fibre orientation factor; [[lambda].sub.3] is
the group reduction factor associated with the number of fibres pulling
out per unit area; [tau] is the average bond stress of a single fibre
embedded in the concrete; [V.sub.f] is the fibre volume percentage;
[beta] is the bond factor, accordingly to Campione (2008), can be
assumed being equal to 0.5 for round fibres, 0.75--for crimped fibres,
1.0--for hooked fibres; [l.sub.f] and [b.sub.f] are the length and the
diameter of fibre, respectively. It is important to note that expression
(1) gives constant value of the residual stresses being unacceptably
rough for solving the advanced analysis problems.
Another method for assessing tensile behaviour of cracked SFRC was
proposed in RILEM (2003). The method uses a tri-linear stress-strain
relation of SFRC in tension and is derived from the experimental data of
three-point bending test on the specimens with dimensions of 150x150x600
mm. To control the cracking process, a notch at mid-span of the beam is
formed that allows measuring the opening crack width. The post-cracking
response of SFRC is characterised by residual stresses [[sigma].sub.r1]
and [[sigma].sub.r2] (Fig. 2), which correspond to experimental load
values at different beam deformation stages at certain mid-span
deflection (or crack width) values defined by the RILEM (2002b). The
residual stresses are determined by following expressions:
[[sigma].sub.r1] = 0.675 x k x [P.sub.1] x L/b x [h.sup.2.sub.sp];
[[sigma].sub.r2] = 0.555 x k x [P.sub.2] x L/b x [h.sup.2.sub.sp], (2)
where: k is the scale factor; [P.sub.1] and [P.sub.2] are,
respectively, the loads recorded at the mid-span deflection equal to
[[delta].sub.1] = 0.46 mm and [[delta].sub.2] = 3.0 mm (Fig. 3a) or
crack width equal to [w.sub.1] = 0.5 mm and [w.sub.2] = 3.5 mm (Fig.
3b); L and b are the span and the width of specimen, respectively;
[h.sub.sp] is the depth of notched section.
2. Experimental program
An experimental program was conducted in order to investigate the
effect of steel fibres on the response of members subjected to bending.
Several beams were tested, containing 40 kg/[m.sup.3] and 80
kg/[m.sup.3] hooked-ended steel fibres (respectively equivalent to 0.5%
and 1.0% of the total specimen volume). Fibres with a length [l.sub.f]
of 50 mm and a diameter [d.sub.f] of 1 mm, resulting in the aspect
(length to diameter) ratio of 50 were used.
Standard 150x150x600 mm beams with the span of 500 mm were casted
according to RILEM (2002a). Displacement controlled testing machine was
used and beams were loaded with the rate of 0.2 mm/min. To localize
cracking process, each beam was equipped with 25 mm notch at the
mid-span. The mid-span deflections as well as crack opening width were
measured within the test using linear variable displacement transducers
(LVDTs). The test set-up is shown in Figure 4.
[FIGURE 3 OMITTED]
[FIGURE 4 OMITTED]
The compressive strength of concrete was measured at the age of 28
days on 150 mm cube specimens, resulting in average values of 43.1 MPa
and 44.8 MPa for 0.5 and 1.0% steel fibre concrete mixes, respectively.
From the test results of the individual beams in the test series,
load-crack width curves have been constructed. Figures 5a and 5b show
the load-crack width curves for 0.5 and 1.0% of fibre content,
respectively. It can be observed that for most of the specimens the
cracking resistance increases with increased volume of fibres. However,
the variability in the obtained diagrams is significant. Such variety of
results was mainly influenced by the orientation and number of fibres
acting at the crack section.
3. Proposed inverse analysis technique
In the current study, an inverse procedure has been proposed to
perform constitutive analysis of SFRC in tension. The technique employs
experimental data from standard 3-point bending tests and uses simple
equilibrium of axial forces and bending moments to find unknown values
of the parameters defining the residual stresses in SFRC.
[FIGURE 5 OMITTED]
It is assumed that at the crack, the tensile strain approaches
infinity, whereas the stress-strain relation before cracking defines the
strain at a distance besides the crack. To determine tensile strain of
concrete at a certain loading step, a length, further called influence
length, is considered. For the beam, shown in Figure 6, the influence
length over which the stresses are distributed due to the opening crack
is taken equal to two times the height of the tensile zone (Dupont
2003).
The unknown position of the neutral axis is obtained from
expression of residual stresses by simultaneously solving equilibrium
equations of axial forces and bending moments:
[MATHEMATICAL EXPRESSION NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII]. (3)
[FIGURE 6 OMITTED]
[FIGURE 7 OMITTED]
Residual stresses and, therefore, crack width can be found from
equilibrium of axial forces:
[MATHEMATICAL EXPRESSION NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII]. (4)
In Eqns (3) and (4), n is the loading step under consideration;
[[sigma].sub.r,n] is the residual stresses, s" is the deformation
of element, [w.sub.n] is the crack width, [y.sub.n] is the position of
neutral axis, and [P.sub.n] is the load at n-th step; E and [f.sub.ct]
are the deformation modulus and tensile strength of SFRC; [h.sub.sp] is
the depth of the notched section; L and b are the span and the width of
specimen, respectively.
It should be mentioned that with increase in loading, the position
of the neutral axis changes; thus, it should be identified for every
loading step, considered in the analysis. Obtained residual stress-crack
width relationships for the beams with 0.5 and 1.0% of fibres are given
in Figures 7a and 7b, respectively.
4. Numerical modelling
4.1. Standard beams
This section considers standard SFRC beams tested in the current
study (Section 2). Adequacy of the residual stress-crack width
([[sigma].sub.fr]-w) relationships obtained by Naaman (2003) and RILEM
(2002a) methods and derived by the proposed technique was verified using
nonlinear finite element (FE) program Atena. Figure 8 presents the test
beam modelled employing the derived [[sigma].sub.r]-w diagrams as
constitutive models for SFRC in tension. Simulated load-crack width
(P-w) relations for the beams with 0.5 and 1.0% of fibres are given in
Figures 9 and 10, respectively. As it can be seen, the horizontal parts
of P-w curves, representing the residual loads, has an error up to 10,
25, and 65% for the proposed technique and for the RILEM and Naaman
methods, respectively.
[FIGURE 8 OMITTED]
4.2. Full-scale beams
This section considers full-scale SFRC beams with steel bar
reinforcement, tested by the authors. Two beams were selected from the
test program reported by Gribniak et al. (2012) with similar concrete
mixture and fibre volumes as the standard specimens (Section 2). The
specimens were reinforced with three 10 mm bars, resulting in tensile
reinforcement ratio of 0.3%. Main parameters of the beams are listed in
Table 1, where [V.sub.f] is the volume content of fibres in the concrete
mixture; [f.sub.c] is the [empty set]150x300 mm cylinder strength;
[E.sub.s] is the elastic modulus of the bar reinforcement.
[FIGURE 9 OMITTED]
[FIGURE 10 OMITTED]
[FIGURE 11 OMITTED]
Investigation of FE mesh dependence on modelling results of
flexural members has shown that models of reinforced concrete beams
having 6-8 finite elements per height demonstrate sufficient accuracy
(Gribniak et al. 2010). In the current study, six elements per height
were taken for FE modelling (Fig. 11). Due to symmetry conditions, only
half of the beam was modelled. Isoparametric quadrilateral FE with 8
degrees of freedom and four integration points were used. Bar
reinforcement was modelled by truss elements. The tension-stiffening
effect was included in the FE model using principles of fracture
mechanics (Gribniak et al. 2013a).
[FIGURE 12 OMITTED]
Modelling results are presented in Figure 12. It can be observed
that curvature is obviously overestimated for the beam with 0.5% of
fibres. This is mainly due to the non-homogeneous distribution of the
fibres in the standard concrete specimens, used for the constitutive
modelling of SFRC. The employed material law ([[sigma].sub.fr]-w
relationship) was derived for a single section, which not necessarily
contains sufficient number of fibres and may not represent the average
deformation behaviour of full-scale beam. Furthermore, the
tension-stiffening effect was included into FE model in
"default" manner, but not assessed from the standard SFRC
beams (without bar reinforcement) that may become another source of
overestimated deformations of the full-scale beam. Increasing volume of
fibres makes concrete more homogeneous. Increased residual strength of
SFRC relatively reduces the effect of tension-stiffening (Fig. 1).
Therefore, the assumed material law more adequately represents
deformation behaviour of full-scale beam with 1.0% of fibres than for
0.5% (Fig. 12).
Conclusions
The paper deals with experimental and theoretical investigation of
the post-cracking behaviour of steel fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC).
Ten standard beams equipped with notch and containing fibre contents of
0.5 and 1.0% by volume were tested under a three-point bending scheme.
For the determination of the residual strength of SFRC in tension, a
simple method based on the general principles of material mechanics was
proposed. The main advantage of the proposed technique (in comparison
with the methods provided by the RILEM or Naaman) is its capability to
calculate residual stresses and, thus, crack width at any loading step.
To verify the obtained residual stress-crack opening relation a
nonlinear finite element analysis program Atena was utilized. The
proposed constitutive analysis technique was found to be accurate
determining the residual stresses in SFRC. The numerical simulation of
full scale SFRC beams with steel bars has revealed importance of the
sufficient amount of fibres in concrete and, therefore, residual
strength on deformation prediction results: with increased volume of
fibres (from 40 to 80 kg/[m.sup.3]) the residual strength becomes the
governing criterion for the finite element modelling.
doi: 10.3846/13923730.2014.909882
Acknowledgements
The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided
by the Research Council of Lithuania (Research Project MIP-083/2012).
Viktor Gribniak and Aleksandr K. Arnautov wish to acknowledge the
support by the European Social Fund (Research Project No.
2013/0019/1DP/1.1.1.2.0/13/APIA/VIAA/062).
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Adas MESKENAS (a), Viktor GRIBNIAK (a,b), Gintaris KAKLAUSKAS (a),
Aleksandr K. ARNAUTOV (b), Arvydas RIMKUS (a)
(a) Department of Bridges and Special Structures, Vilnius Gediminas
Technical University, Saul?tekio al. 11, 10223 Vilnius, Lithuania
(b) Institute of Polymer Mechanics (IMP), University of Latvia,
Raina blvd. 19, 1586 Riga, Latvia
Received 03 Jan 2014; accepted 21 Mar 2014
Corresponding author: Viktor Gribniak E-mail:
Viktor.Gribniak@vgtu.lt
Adas MESKENAS. PhD student and an Assistant Professor in the
Department of Bridges and Special Structures at VGTU. His research
interests include various topics on fibre reinforced concrete (FRC),
particularly constitutive modelling and numerical simulation of steel
fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC) structures.
Viktor GRIBNIAK. Senior Researcher at the Civil Engineering
Research Centre at VGTU, Lithuania. PhD degree obtained from VGTU. He is
a member of the fib Task Group 4.1 "Serviceability Models". In
2013, he received the ASCE Moisseiff Award for a paper contributing to
structural design. His research interests include serviceability
analysis and numerical modelling of reinforced concrete (RC) structures,
innovative types of reinforcement for concrete.
Gintaris KAKLAUSKAS. Professor and Head of the Department of
Bridges and Special Structures at VGTU, Lithuania. PhD and Dr Sc degrees
received from VGTU. He is an Academician at the Lithuanian Academy of
Science and a member of the fib Task Group 4.1 "Serviceability
Models", recipient of Fulbright and Marie Curie (senior research
category) fellowships. In 2013, he received the ASCE Moisseiff Award for
a paper contributing to structural design. Research interests include
various topics on reinforced concrete, particularly constitutive
modelling, and numerical simulation of reinforced concrete structures.
Aleksandr K. ARNAUTOV. Senior Researcher at the Institute of
Polymer Mechanics (IMP) of the University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia. PhD
degree obtained from IMP. His research interests include theoretical and
experimental studies of deformation and fracture of materials, mechanics
of composite structure, and test methods for determining mechanical
properties composite.
Arvydas RIMKUS. PhD student in the Department of Bridges and
Special Structures and an Assistant Professor in the Department of
Engineering Graphics at VGTU. His research interests focus on the
optimal section of the structural composite materials and combinations
of their mechanical properties with specific emphasis on the effective
reinforcement schemes, developed considering structural and
technological aspects.
Table 1. Geometric and material parameters of the full-scale beams
Beam h, mm d, mm b, mm [a.sub.s2], [A.sub.s1],
mm [mm.sup.2]
S3-1-F05 302 278 278 29 235.4
S3-1-F10 300 276 279 23 235.4
Beam [A.sub.s2], [V.sub.f], [f'.sub.c], [E.sub.s],
[mm.sup.2] % MPa MPa
S3-1-F05 55.9 0.47 55.6 202.8
S3-1-F10 55.9 1.02 48.0 202.8