Experimental and Finite Element Analysis of Continuous RC Slab Panels with Steel Fiber Reinforced Concrete (SFRC) as an Alternative to Negative Reinforcement

Abstract

This paper presents experimental and finite element analysis of RC slab panels with steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC). For this purpose, four SFRC slab panels with (2000×250×50mm) dimensions are poured using a concrete class of (f'_c=22MPa) with (15kg/m³) dosage of steel fibers and steel class (f_y=410MPa) without shear stirrups. Two of the slab panels were modeled by using nonlinear material properties adopted from experimental study and analyzed till the ultimate failure by ANSYS (Version-15) software. The tested slab panels are subjected to bending by two-point loading, exactly after having been moist-cured for (28 days). The slab panels were tested up to the failure with control of loads. The applied loads and mid-span deflections are carefully recorded at every (5kN) load increment from the beginning till the ultimate failure. The results obtained from the finite element and experimental analyses are compared to each other. It is seen from the results that the finite element failure behavior indicates a good agreement with the experimental failure behavior. The paper concludes that the traditional negative steel reinforcement (steel bars) can be replaced (partially or totally) by using the adopted technique and the contribution of SFRC in manufacturing of thin slabs panels was enhanced.

Keywords: Finite Element, Steel fiber, Continuous Slab, Concrete, NSC, Ansys.

DOI: 10.7176/CER/11-3-01

Publication date: April 30^th 2019