Influence of stacking sequence of basalt-fiber grilles on mechanical properties for textile-reinforced concrete and theoretical prediction

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effective way of laying up basalt-fiber grilles in concrete to improve mechanical properties, involving how the evolution of cracks is hindered and how the strength of concrete is increased by basalt filaments. In this research, three layers of basalt fiber grilles were placed in different positions of concrete composites. The compressive, splitting tensile, and beam flexural properties of the concrete composites were studied after 28 days of as-made sample curing. The reason for reduced cracks growing from basalt fiber grilles was analyzed to reveal the mechanism of increased strength and toughening of concrete composites. The results showed that a reasonable lay-up method has the highest value of utilization rate and can improve the compressive and split tensile strength of concrete specimens, especially for the flexural specimens. The reason was found to be the energy absorption, stress transfer, and bridging load-bearing effect of the basalt-fiber grilles on the hindering of the expansion of loading-induced cracks effectively. A theoretical model was thereafter developed to predict the flexural strength of concrete beam composites based on grille lay-up architecture. According to the analytical model, the corresponding predicted values compared with experimental results indicate a good coincidence and a reasonable accuracy, which is less than 12% of their discrepancy.