“PARAMETRIC STUDY OF FIBER

REINFORCED CONCRETE”
Thesis proposal
Student: - PARTH SHAH (SD1709)

NIRAV PATEL (SD1309)

Guide: - Dr. N. K. ARORA

Date of Submission: - 4th Feb., 2011

“PARAMETRIC STUDY OF FIBER REINFORCED CONCRETE”

1. INTRODUCTION

The most promising materials used in construction today are concrete fiber composites. The addition of
fibers in the cement matrix makes fiber reinforced concrete a composite material. “The composite material with a
random distribution of short, discontinuous fibers in the cement matrix” is defined as a fiber reinforced concrete
(FRC). The concept of FRC involves strengthening relatively weak in tension and soft cement matrices stronger and
stiffer by the inclusion of fibers. Fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) has been successfully used in the past for many
applications, for instance in the construction industry, as highway and airport pavement overlays, nuclear reactor
shielding, pile caps, tunnel wall lining and refractory materials and many more.

All cement based materials and composites are essentially discontinuous, isotropic and heterogeneous.
These materials contain micro cracks and interfacial discontinuities, which are root cause of the unstable crack
propagation and low tensile strength. The need of fiber reinforced concrete arises from this situation. The addition
of fibers in the relatively brittle concrete matrix transforms uncontrolled and unstable crack propagation in to a
slow controlled growth. This gives the cement-based materials a maximum ductility, overcoming its low tensile
strength properties by adding steel fibers. Most notable among the improved mechanical characteristics of FRC
are its superior fracture resistance and resistance to impact and impulsive or dynamic loading by adding
polypropylene fibers.

From literature, it is evident that study of behaviour of polypropylene fiber reinforced concrete (PPFRC)
and steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC) as individual under all modes of loading, which includes, direct tension,
shear, flexural, impact, dynamic and torsion loading has been carried out so far but no literature has been found
where study of engineered cementitious composites (ECC) where both polypropylene and steel fibers are
combined together in a cement matrix to achieve both better impact resistance and tensile strength, under all
modes of loading as mentioned above.

So need arises, to study the behaviour of ECC under tensile and impact loading, to see whether both can be
achieved through cement matrix containing both fibers (polypropylene and steel).

2. THE NEED OF STUDY

 Concrete is a brittle and weak in tension and develops cracks during curing and due to thermal
expansion/contraction over a period of time. During hydration stage, water tends to escape through
various routes and cracks develop on the surface. However the development of FRC in various fields has
provided a technical basis for improving these deficiencies.
 To evaluate the increase in various properties (tensile and impact) of hardened concrete using
polypropylene and steel fibers in various proportions together in a concrete mix.

3. OBJECTIVE

 To understand the effect of incorporation of polypropylene and steel fibers together in the hardened state
of concrete.
 To generate the data regarding the mechanical properties of engineered cementitious composite (ECC) on
the basis of test performed on the same.
 To design ECC using the ACI codal provisions and guidelines for mixture proportioning and test setup.
 To use the understanding of the study in developing a flexural member without steel reinforcement.

Prepared By: - Parth Shah (SD1709)

Nirav Patel (SD1309) Page 1
“PARAMETRIC STUDY OF FIBER REINFORCED CONCRETE”

4. SCOPE OF WORK

The scope of study is confined to the use of steel and polypropylene fibers.
 The concrete grade for the mix design for control concrete will be kept fixed with the variation in the
water/cementitious material (w/c) ratio.
 Mix proportions for polypropylene and steel fibers of various ratios in proportions will be considered for
the study and these will be compared with the controlled mix.
 The study will be the testing of various mechanical properties of normal & engineered cementitious
concrete (ECC) which includes following:
 Compressive strength
 Tensile strength
 Pull off test
 Pull out test
 Split slender test
 Flexural strength
 Impact test

5. METHODOLOGY

 Literature Study
 Research Papers
 ACI publications & Guidelines
 Books
 Discussion with experts.
 Laboratory Work
 Mix design on trial & error method.
 Tests for fresh properties of ECC as per research papers & past studies.
 Tests for hardened properties as per ACI codal provisions.
 Data Analysis
 Establish the hardened properties of ECC.
 Comparative analysis of various design mix with conventional concrete mix.
 Effect of w/c ratio on properties of ECC.
 Conclusion for suitability and recommendation for future scope.

6. WORK PLAN

Literature Study : Weeks

Mix proportioning : Week
Experimental programme : Week
Analysis and design of various design mix : Weeks
Comparative analysis : Week
Report Making : Weeks
TOTAL : Weeks

Prepared By: - Parth Shah (SD1709)

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“PARAMETRIC STUDY OF FIBER REINFORCED CONCRETE”

7. PROBABLE REFERENCES

1. ACI COMMITTEE 544.3R-08 Guide for Specifying, Proportioning and Production of Fiber-Reinforced
concrete.
2. ACI COMMITTEE 544.4R-88 Design consideration for Steel Fiber reinforced concrete.
3. SP 155 on Impact Test for Fiber-Reinforced Concrete.
4. Guide for Design and Construction of Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Structures (CNR-DT 204/2006).
5. A Technical Paper on “Polymer and Steel Fiber-Reinforced Cementitious Composites under Impact
Loading-Part 2: Flexural Toughness”.
6. A Technical Paper on “Modified ACI Drop-Weight Impact Test for Concrete”.
7. ACI COMMITTEE 544.1R-96 Report on Fiber Reinforced Concrete.
8. SP 81-12 on Test Method for Impact Resistance of Fiber Reinforced Concrete.

Prepared By: - Parth Shah (SD1709)

Nirav Patel (SD1309) Page 3