Naveen Revanna and Charles K.S. Moy
A study on the mechanical characteristics of cementitious mortar reinforced with basalt fibres at ambient and elevated temperatures was carried out. To investigate their effect…
Abstract
Purpose
A study on the mechanical characteristics of cementitious mortar reinforced with basalt fibres at ambient and elevated temperatures was carried out. To investigate their effect, chopped basalt fibres with varying percentages were added to the cement mortar.
Design/methodology/approach
All the specimens were heated using a muffle furnace. Flexural strength and Compressive strength tests were performed, while monitoring the moisture loss to evaluate the performance of basalt fibre reinforced cementitious mortars at elevated temperatures.
Findings
From the study, it is clear that basalt fibres can be used to reinforce mortar as the fibres remain unaffected up to 500 °C. Minimal increases in flexural strengths and compressive strengths were measured with the addition of basalt fibres at both ambient and elevated temperatures. SEM pictures revealed fibre matrix interaction/degradation at different temperatures.
Originality/value
The current study shows the potential of basalt fibre addition in mortar as a reinforcement mechanism at elevated temperatures and provides experimental quantifiable mechanical performances of different fibre percentage addition.
Details
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Naveen Revanna and Charles K.S. Moy
This paper employs a textile reinforcement strain comparison to study the response of Textile Reinforced Mortars (TRM) strengthened reinforced concrete one-way slab members in…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper employs a textile reinforcement strain comparison to study the response of Textile Reinforced Mortars (TRM) strengthened reinforced concrete one-way slab members in flexure using the finite element method. Basalt TRM (BTRM) is a relatively new composite in structural strengthening applications. Experimental data on BTRMs are limited in the literature and numerical analyses can help further the understanding of this composite. With this notion, Abaqus finite element software is utilised to create a numerical method to capture the mechanical response of strengthened slab members instead of time-consuming laboratory experiments.
Design/methodology/approach
A numerical method is developed and validated using existing experimental data set on one-way slabs strengthened using Basalt TRMs from the literature. An explicit solver is utilised to analyse the finite element model created using calibrated Concrete Damage Plasticity (CDP) parameters according to the experimental requirements. The generated model is applied to extract load, deflection and rebar strains sustained by strengthened reinforced concrete slabs as observed from the experimental reference chosen. The applicability of the developed model was studied beyond parametric studies by comparing the generated finite element tensile strain by the textile fibre with available formulae.
Findings
CDP calibration done has shown its adaptability. The predicted results in the form of load versus deflection, tensile and compressive damage patterns from the numerical analysis showed good agreement with the experimental data. A parametric study on various concrete strength, textile spacing and TRM bond length obtained shows TRM’s advantages and its favourability for external strengthening applications. A set of five formulae considered to predict the experimental strain showed varied accuracy.
Originality/value
The developed numerical model considers strain sustained by the textile fibre to make results more robust and reliable. The obtained strain from the numerical study showed good agreement with the experiment results.