Properties of steel fiber reinforced mortar‐plastic columns with the cross‐section in a form of a Cesaro fractal

Abstract

AbstractIn this paper, the concept of steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC)‐plastic columns was explored and discussed. Plastic served as a 3D printed formwork that remained in place. Five different column cross‐section shapes, based on Cesaro fractal iterations, were created and filled with steel fiber reinforced mortar. After curing, the specimens were loaded and load‐strain characteristics were recorded, with a focus on destruction characteristics and energy dissipated up to 6.0% strain. The results showed that columns with fractal‐based cross‐sections had smooth destruction with significant formwork deformation. All columns exhibited highly quasi‐plastic behavior. The results demonstrate the feasibility of replacing traditional formwork and concrete with a more automated 3D printed plastic and SFRC solution. Future research should focus on large‐scale columns and other structural elements.