Determination of the Tensile Response of UHPFRC Layers Using a Non-Destructive Method for Assessing the Fiber Content and Orientation

Abstract

A procedure is developed for estimating the representative tensile response of existing thin Ultra-High Performance Fiber-Reinforced cement Composite (UHPFRC) layers. The procedure relies on non-destructive (NDT) measurements and on a previous tensile characterization campaign of the composite material, thereby avoiding the extraction of samples from the real structure. Two reliable indicators of the fiber content and fiber orientation within the UHPFRC layer are derived from the NDT measurements along two orthogonal directions. It is shown that these two indicators can be directly correlated to the parameters of a mechanical model providing the tensile response of the composite. The procedure is applied for the prediction of the peak stress of 36 Double-Edge Wedge Split tests and of the structural behavior of slab strips strengthened with a UHPFRC layer.