Analytical Study on Shear Capacity Evaluation of RC Beams with PVA Short Fiber

Abstract

This paper reports experimental and analytical results of shear capacity evaluation of concrete beams reinforced by PVA short fibers. Loading tests were carried out on various reinforced concrete beams with PVA short fibers of varying types and content, shear reinforcement ratios, effective depths, and shear span-to-effective depth ratios, a/d. The analysis was carried out using the tension-softening model obtained from the material test to simulate the beam shear tests. >As a result of the investigation, it was confirmed that shear capacity is improved by mixing PVA short fibers in concrete and that the increase in shear capacity is governed by fiber content and beam effective depth. Further, effective fiber behavior was confirmed in beams showing the tied-arch resisting mechanism. As a result of analysis, it was confirmed that the effect of the tension-softening model for diagonal cracks was large in beams with a small a/d, and that the effect of the shear transfer model was large in beams with a large a/d. Based on comparison with experimental results, we recommend the combination of constitutive laws in the evaluation and analysis of the shear capacity of FRC beams.