Finite Element Modelling of Polypropylene Fibre Reinforced Concrete Beams Reinforced with Steel under Bending

Abstract

Application of the fibre-reinforced concrete has manifested a wider acceptability over time for its contribution towards significantly improving the flexural performance of structural members. A lot of work has been done to understand the influence of fibres on the mechanical and structural behaviour of reinforced concrete. Towards this end, several researchers have experimentally investigated the residual flexural strength to characterize the fibre-reinforced concrete. The number of influencing parameters to be investigated through experiments is mostly limited because of the time and cost implications. Consequently, validation of the experimental investigations through analytical models and further utilizing these models to study the behaviour in greater detail is a viable option for researchers. As part of this work, an analytical investigation has been performed to investigate the performance of full-scale polypropylene fibre-reinforced concrete beams. The models have been validated through comparison with the observed performance during an experimental investigation where tests on twelve full-scale FRC beams were performed. Three-dimensional finite element models of the beams under 4-point loading were prepared and the post-cracking flexural performance of FRC beams has been investigated by varying the dosage of polypropylene fibres obtained from shredding medical face masks.