Shaking Table Test of U-Shaped Walls Made of Fiber-Reinforced Foamed Concrete

Abstract

Fiber-reinforced foamed concrete (FRFC) is a lightweight material that has the potential to perform well in seismic applications due to its low density and improved mechanical properties. However, studies focused on the seismic assessment of this material are limited. In this work, U-shaped wall specimens, made of FRFC reinforced with henequen fibers and plain foamed concrete (PFC) with a density of 900 kg/m3, were subjected to shaking table tests. PFC and FRFC were characterized using compression and tension tests. FRFC exhibited enhanced mechanical properties, which were attributed to the fibers. The dynamic tests showed that U-shaped walls made of FRFC performed better than those made of PFC. The time period prior to the collapse of the FRFC U-shaped walls was longer than that of the PFC specimens, which was attributed to the enhanced specimen integrity by the fibers. Finite element simulations of the shaking table test allowed for the prediction of the stress concentration and plastic strain that may lead to the failure of the U-shaped wall. These results showed that U-shaped walls made of FRFC have the potential to perform well in seismic applications, however, these results are preliminary and further studies are needed to support the findings of this work.