Fatigue behavior assessment for steel fiber reinforced concrete beams through experiment and Fatigue Prediction Model
Abstract The fatigue flexural behavior of steel-fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC) beams was assessed through the experiment on SFRC beams subjected to fatigue loading and the analysis of Fatigue Prediction Model (FPM). The stress level, tensile reinforcement strength, and steel fiber volume fraction were considered in the program. Test results indicated that steel fibers can improve the fatigue performance of the beams. The fatigue life of the beams increased significantly with the increase of steel fiber volume fractions from 0 to 1.0%, and slightly decreased for 1.5% steel fiber volume fraction because of the fiber cluster. A FPM of SFRC beam was proposed based on the fatigue properties of constituent materials and cross-section analytical method. This model can simulate the development of strains in concrete and steel bars of beams under fatigue loading, and can also be extended to assess the effects of reinforcement ratio upon the fatigue life and failure mode of SFRC beams.