Probabilistic Analysis of Fiber-Reinforced Concrete

A probabilistic model simulating the behavior of fiber reinforced concrete under tensile loading is briefly described. The model, based on the statistics and mechanics of composite materials, leads to simple equations predicting the mean strength and surface energy of the composite as a function of the characteristics of the two major components and their mutual interaction. Theoretically predicted results are correlated with the observed findings of an extensive experimental program on tensile prisms. The influence of given dominant parameters, i.e., the volume fraction of fibers, their aspect ratio, and the bond strength at the fiber matrix interface is analyzed. It is concluded that the proposed equations could be beneficially used to predict tensile properties of fiber reinforced concrete.