Structural performance of ultra-high-performance concrete beams with different steel fibers

In this study, ten large ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) beams reinforced with steel rebars were fabricated and tested. The experimental parameters included reinforcement ratio and steel fiber type. Two different reinforcement ratios (ρ = 0.94% and 1.50%) and steel fiber types (smooth and twisted steel fibers) were adopted. In addition, three different fiber lengths (Lf = 13, 19.5, and 30 mm) for the smooth steel fibers and one fiber length (Lf = 30 mm) for the twisted steel fiber were considered. For a control specimen, a UHPC matrix without fiber was also considered. Test results indicated that the addition of steel fibers significantly improved the load carrying capacity, post-cracking stiffness, and cracking response, but it decreased the ductility. Specifically, with the inclusion of 2% by volume of steel fibers, approximately 27-54% higher load carrying capacity and 13-73% lower ductility were obtained. In addition, an increase in the length of smooth steel fibers and the use of twisted steel fibers led to the improvements of post-peak response and ductility, whereas no noticeable difference in the load carrying capacity, post-cracking stiffness, and cracking response were obtained according to the fiber length and type. Sectional analysis incorporating the suggested material models was also performed based on AFGC/SETRA recommendations, and the ratios of flexural capacities obtained from experiments and numerical analyses ranged from 0.91 to 1.19.