Effects of glass fiber usage on fracture energy and mechanical behavior of concrete: An experimental approach

Abstract

In this study, the fracture and mechanical behavior of glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC) are investigated comparatively. For this purpose, three-point bending tests were carried out on notched beams produced using GFRC with 1, 2, and 3 kg/m3 fiber contents and the dimension of 6, 12, and 24 mm to determine the fracture energy. Fracture energy values of the GFRC specimens were calculated by analyzing load versus crack mouth opening displacement (CMOD) curves. Compressive strength was determined using cube samples with the dimension of 150x150mm. Tensile strength and Modulus of elasticity were determined using notched beams with the dimensions of 48010050 mm. Also, notched beams were produced and tested in accordance with RILEM recommendations. In addition, microstructural analyses were performed based on Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy examinations. The results showed that the effects of fiber contents on fracture energy were very significant. However, the effect of fiber addition on the compressive strength and modulus of elasticity values was not significant.