Thermomechanical behaviour and residual properties of textile reinforced concrete (TRC) subjected to elevated and high temperature loading: Experimental and comparative study

The studied TRC composite was made with a cementitious matrix and an alkali-resistant glass textile grid. Each TRC specimen was subjected to one of these two loading paths: a thermomechanical test or a residual resistance test. In both tests, the temperature was first increased to the required temperature (20 °C, 75 °C, 150 °C, 300 °C, 400 °C or 600 °C) and was subsequently held constant for one hour. In the thermomechanical test, the axial tensile force was later applied directly to the specimen and increased monotonically until the maximum load that the specimen could resist was achieved. In the residual resistance test, the TRC specimens were later naturally cooled in the furnace for 15 h. After cooling, the temperature within the TRC specimens was equal to the temperature of the ambient laboratory air (20 °C). The preheated-cooled TRC specimens were then tested at 20 °C using monotonic axial tensile loading until rupture to identify the residual behaviour. These two loading paths allowed for characterizing the thermomechanical and residual behaviours of the TRC composite. These tests also enabled comparison of the stress/strain curves and the characteristics of this material as a function of the temperature and the loading paths.