Analysis of Splitting Damage and Failure Process of Sprayed Ultra-High-Performance Fiber-Reinforced Concrete based on Digital Image Correlation and Acoustic Emission
摘要
To investigate the influence of different fibers and spraying processes on the splitting performance of ultra-high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete (UHPFRC), two forming methods—molding and spraying—were designed using six UHPFRC groups with optimal dosages of steel fibers, polyoxymethylene (POM) fibers, and hybrid fibers. Splitting tensile tests were conducted, and internal damage and surface crack development were monitored using acoustic emission (AE) and digital image correlation (DIC). Results showed that steel fibers alone (without POM) most effectively enhanced splitting performance. The spraying process increased the splitting tensile strength by 14 ~ 18% compared to the molded specimens. Spraying improved deformability, crack resistance, and ductility by delaying sudden increases in horizontal deformation. Molded specimens exhibited multiple curved cracks, while sprayed ones tended to develop single straight cracks, likely due to fiber distribution. During the splitting process of UHPFRC, the accumulate counts and accumulate energy of AE exhibited a three-stage evolution over time: stable stage, surge stage, and decay stage. The inclusion of steel fibers, as well as the adoption of spray forming, can enhance the splitting load capacity of UHPFRC at the onset of significant internal damage, with the sprayed specimens sustaining about 20% higher load than the molded ones at this stage. Furthermore, the spraying process and the inclusion of steel fibers helped suppress the development of internal tensile cracks in UHPFRC. A quantitative damage analysis model (R2 > 0.98) based on the accumulate counts was established. This research can provide theoretical support for promoting the engineering application of sprayed UHPFRC and improving engineering safety.