Evaluation of the influence of post-cracking response of steel fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC) on load carrying capacity of SFRC panels

To develop a reliable methodology for the design of steel fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC) slabs, an extensive experimental program was carried out with SFRC square panels simply supported in their contour. By adopting a moment-rotation approach, a numerical model was developed capable of taking into account the constitutive laws of the SFRC for the prediction of the force-deflection response of variety of panel tests recommended in the international standards. The predictive performance of the model was assessed by considering results available in the bibliography and those obtained on the experimental program. The proposed model was utilized in a parametric study to assess the influence of toughness classes of SFRC on the behaviour at serviceability limit conditions, on the load carrying capacity, and on the deformational response of SFRC round panels.This work is supported by the FEDER funds through the Operational Program for Competitiveness Factors - COMPETE and National Funds through FCT - Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology under the project SlabSys-HFRC-PTDC/ECM/120394/2010. The first author acknowledges the FCT PhD Grant SFRH/BD/71934/2010. The authors would like to acknowledge the materials supplied by Maccaferri (fibres), SECIL (cement), SIKA and BASF (superplasticizers), OmyaComital (limestone filler), and Pegop (Fly ash). Special thanks for CiviTest Company that developed the SFRCs and executed the specimens of the experimental program.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT