Continuum damage mechanics based modeling of fiber reinforced concrete in tension

The tensile properties of concrete can be enhanced substantially by incorporating high strength and small diameter short fibers, which leads to fiber reinforced concrete (FRC). For this reason, FRC has been widely used in infrastructures, where tensile cracks may occur. However, an analytical model for such a material is still lacking. In this article, an attempt was made to model the behavior of FRC, which shows a hardening response in tension, based on the continuum damage mechanics (CDM). In the material, conventional concrete (a cement-sand-coarse-aggregate-water mix) was used as the matrix, and short steel fibers were used as the reinforcement. The quasi-brittleness of the matrix and the fiber-matrix interfacial properties were taken into consideration. Results show that the model-predicted stress-strain curves agree well with those obtained experimentally.