FIBER-REINFORCED CEMENT-BASED COMPOSITES UNDER TENSILE IMPACT

In many civil engineering structures, adequate resistance of the material to suddenly applied loads is essential. This article describes the improvements in the impact resistance of cement matrices when reinforced with high volume fractions of carbon, steel, and polypropylene micro-fibers. Tensile briquettes were fractured under a rapidly applied load using a newly designed instrumented impact machine. Strength and fracture energy values were measured. When compared with static test results, considerable sensitivity to stress rate was noted. The composites were found to be stronger and tougher under impact and the improvements were more pronounced at higher fiber volume fractions.