Effects of embedment length and angle of PVA-fibers on tensile performance of FRC

Abstract

The authors investigated the bond properties of large-diameter PVA fibers, as well as the relationship between the tensile behavior of fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC) and the bond properties of fibers. Dumbbell-shaped specimens with a cross-sectional size of 30 by 30 mm were fabricated using FRC with 2.0% by volume of PVA fibers 0.66 mm in diameter and 30 or 20 mm in length and were subjected to tension tests. Bond tests on the PVA fibers were also conducted using dumbbell-shaped specimens with a separator in the center by changing the embedment length and angle of the fibers. Under the conditions of the bond tests, the fracture loads of a single fiber were approximately 100 N. The values remained nearly constant even when the embedment angles varied between 0° and 75°. The post-cracking maximum load on dumbbell-shaped specimens divided by the number of fibers observed on each fracture surface (30 by 30 mm) ranged between 80 and 100 N, which were similar to the fracture loads per fiber obtained from the bond tests.