A study of some factors affecting the fiber–matrix bond in steel fiber reinforced concrete

Abstract

With the objective of understanding the reinforcing mechanisms of fibers in steel fiber reinforced concrete, the bond between the fibers and the surrounding matrix is studied by conducting single fiber pull-out tests on fibers bonded in cementitious matrices. Various matrix compositions and fiber geometries have been investigated and the effects of various other factors on the pull-out behavior of the fibers have been quantified through pull-out load–extension plots. Finally, the various modes of fiber–matrix load transfer have been discussed and the favorable and unfavorable conditions for such a transfer have been recognized. Key words: steel fiber reinforced concrete, toughness, fiber–matrix bond, deformed fiber, pull-out tests, load–extension plots.