Improving the Performance of Concrete Constructions by Use of Fibers: Experimental and Life-Cycle Investigations
摘要
Ensuring the durability of concrete is of pivotal interest for the design of safe and enduring structures and infrastructures. The brittle behavior of cement-matrix building materials affects the strength of structural elements, especially if subjected to bending loads. The use of fibers within concrete mix designs allows the increase of long-term resistance due to reduction of cracks and the limitation of their development, increasing the ductile behavior of the concrete itself. This paper is aimed at investigating the mechanical performance of Fiber-Reinforced Concretes (FRCs) under both compressive and bending loads. The effects of the addition of plastic fibers with different characteristics are analyzed and compared. Attention is devoted to the performance of fibers with recycled plastics for their sustainable implications and consequent reduction in terms of the CO2 emissions of the material. For this purpose, cubic and beam concrete samples are produced with four different types of mixes. Moreover, the reliability analysis of prototype beam elements is carried out, considering both serviceability limit (SLS) and ultimate limit state (ULS) conditions. The comparison among the results of the experimental and analytical investigations provides key insights for the application of fiber-reinforced materials in constructions.