The diagonal tension behavior of fiber reinforced concrete beams

This research studied the diagonal tension behavior of 16 beams reinforced with longitudinal bars and steel fibers. The variable parameters included the concrete compressive strength and the percentage of fibers (0%, 0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5% by volume). The beams were tested under static loads resulting in high diagonal tension stresses. The shear reinforcement was composed of stirrups instrumented with strain gages to detect the effect of the fibers on the strains. Research results indicate that as the fiber volume increases, the shear strength and the ductility of the beams increased, providing significantly higher shear strength than specified by the ACI-318 Code.