Numerical model of vegetal fabric reinforced cementitious matrix composites (FRCM) subjected to tensile loads

The fabric reinforced cementitious matrix (FRCM) have proven to be a strengthening system with a promising future, due to its ease of application and its ability to dissipate energy through a pattern of multicracking. In this study, numerical models of FRCM of different vegetable fibers (flax, hemp, sisal and cotton) were elaborated. For this numerical analysis, the model based on the plastic damage of the concrete of the Abaqus structural analysis software was used. The lower modulus of elasticity that the cotton and sisal fibers presented in comparison with the matrix, made it necessary to use a cracking tensile reduction coefficient to reproduce the experimental and analytical results obtained in these cases. In the case of the hemp-FRCM and flax-FRCM, the results were significantly close to the experimental and analytical results. The numerical models presented in this study represent a useful calculation tool for the analysis of vegetable fibers FRCM.Parte de esta investigación se ha llevado a cabo en el marco del proyecto REDUVE de la empresa AZVI cofinanciado por el CDTI (Gobierno de España). El primer autor agradece al Ministerio de Educación, Ciencia y Tecnología (Mesyt) de la República Dominicana por su apoyo financiero a través de su programa de becas internacionales