Investigation on early-age cracking resistance of basalt-polypropylene fiber reinforced concrete in restrained ring tests

• Published in: Journal of Building Engineering Vol. 70; p. 106155
• Main Authors: Mao, Jinwang, Liang, Ninghui, Liu, Xinrong, Zhong, Zuliang, Zhou, Chuanhua
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2023
• Subjects: Basalt-polypropylene fiber reinforced concrete; Cracking resistance; Early age; Numerical simulation; Restrained ring test; Numerical simulation; Cracking resistance; Restrained ring test; Early age; Basalt-polypropylene fiber reinforced concrete
• ISSN: 2352-7102; 2352-7102
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jobe.2023.106155

The restrained shrinkage deformation of concrete structures at an early age is the main reason for cracking. Basalt-polypropylene fiber can reduce the shrinkage strain and cracking potential of concrete effectively. Investigation on cracking resistance of basalt-polypropylene fiber reinforced concrete (BPFRC) at early age by restrained ring test remain lacking. This study conducted free shrinkage test and restrained shrinkage test to analysis the early-age cracking resistance of BPFRC. The experimental results showed that incorporating basalt fiber and polypropylene fiber into concrete could decrease the free shrinkage and restrained shrinkage of concrete matrix and reduce the maximum theoretical elastic stress, actual maximum residual stress and relaxed stress, among which, the better positive effect was achieved when basalt fiber and polypropylene fiber hybridized. A numerical finite element simulation model was successfully carried out to predict the time-dependent maximum tensile stress in the concrete ring. Importantly, the damage evaluation of restrained shrinkage concrete ring was investigated based on the relations of the compressive (dc) and tensile (dt) damage factors with inelastic strains of BPFRC proposed in this paper, and a good agreement between simulation and experimental test had been observed. The findings in this study would promote the development and application of BPFRC. •The corrugated macro polypropylene fiber and basalt fiber were hybridized into concrete for restrained ring test.•Establishing the constitutive model of basalt-polypropylene fiber reinforced concrete.•Predicting the time-dependent maximum tensile stress and exploring the damage evolution in the restrained concrete ring.