Behavior of Steel Fiber-Reinforced High-Strength Concrete Columns under Uniaxial Compression

Abstract

This paper presents tests that were performed on square large-scale steel-fiber-reinforced high-strength concrete (HSC) columns under concentric compression loading. The experimental program was mainly designed to examine the effect of the volumetric steel-fiber ratio on the behavior of reinforced HSC large-scale elements subjected to axial compression loading. The test program was also designed to examine the combined confinement effect of steel fibers and transverse steel reinforcement. Thus, the test variables studied herein are the steel-fiber volumetric ratio and the volumetric ratio, yield strength, and spacing of the transverse steel ties. The results show that adding discrete fibers to HSC mixtures in reinforced concrete columns not only prevents the premature spalling of the concrete cover but also increases the strength and ductility of the axially loaded reinforced member. This behavior was predicted by the proposed fiber-reinforced concrete stress-strain model, which takes into account most of the parameters that influence confinement effectiveness: the concrete strength; the spacing, yield strength, volumetric ratio, and configuration of the transverse reinforcement; the distribution of the longitudinal reinforcement; and the diameter, length, shape, volumetric ratio, and frictional bond strength of the fibers. Predictions were found to be in good agreement with experimental results.