Thin and Strong Concrete Composites with Glass Textile Reinforcement: Modeling the Tensile Response

Abstract

Textile-reinforced concrete is an interesting and promising material for thin-walled structural elements. Since sufficient fibers can be included when glass fiber reinforcement is introduced in the form of textiles, a distinct strain-hardening behavior can be obtained beyond the introduction of matrix multiple cracking. However, to improve the range of applications in which this material can be used, stress-strain behavior characteristics and crack control should be globally understood, as well as the parameters influencing them. Both properties are discussed as function of fiber volume fraction, matrix-fiber bundle interface, and the influence of complex fiber-matrix interaction. The constitutive material model that is used in this paper is based on the well-known ACK-theory (Aveston-Cooper-Kelly), but includes the fact that matrix cracking occurs progressively with increasing strength and not at one deterministic stress level.