Constitutive modeling of fiber reinforced shotcrete panels

Beam and panel specimens are commonly used to assess the flexural performance of fiber reinforced shotcrete (FRS). Constitutive modeling of the flexural performance of ASTM C-1550 panels made with FRS is useful for explaining the relationship between the performance of specimens and the behavior of in situ FRS tunnel linings. A series of analyses have therefore been undertaken using yield line theory to derive the nonlinear load-deflection response of C-1550 panels based on the flexural capacity of beams of similar composition and thickness. A Monte Carlo simulation has been incorporated into the analysis to account for the stochastic nature of the material properties. This has demonstrated that the postcracking behavior of C-1550 panels can be successfully modeled using yield line theory and moment-crack rotation relationships developed from tests on beams made of the same material. Moreover, the variation in performance of C-1550 panels is primarily caused by variations in the flexural capacity of elements comprising the panel rather than variations in the location of the radial cracks that form during a test.