New constitutive models for non linear analysis of high strength fibrous reinforced concrete slabs

The main goal of this study is to prepare a program for analyzing High Strength Steel Fibrous Reinforced Concrete (HSSFRC) slabs and predict the response and strength of the slab instead of preparing a prototype and testing it in the laboratory. For this purpose, new equations are proposed to represent the material properties of High Strength Steel Fibrous Reinforced Concrete. The proposed equations obtained from performing regression analysis on many experimental results using statistical programs. The finite element method is adopted for non-linear analysis of the slabs. The eight-node "Serendipity element" (3 DoF) is chosen to represent the concrete. The layered approach is adopted for concrete elements and the steel reinforcement is represented by a smeared layer. The compression properties of the concrete are modeled by a work hardening plasticity approach and the yield condition is determined depending on the first two stress invariants. A tensile strength criterion is adopted in order to estimate the cracks propagation. many experimental results for testing slabs are compared with the numerical results of the present study and a good agreement is achieved regarding load-deflection curves and crack pattern. The response of the load deflection curve is slightly stiff at the beginning because the creep effect is not considered in this study and for assuming perfect bond between the steel reinforcement and the concrete, however, a great agreement is achieved between the ultimate load from the present study and experimental results. For the models of the tension stiffening and cracked shear modulus, the value of Bg and Bt (Where Bg and Bt are the curvature factor for the cracked shear modulus and tension stiffening models respectively) equal to 0.005 give good results compared with experimental result.