Effect of DEWS test simplification on the design post-crack parameters of steel fiber reinforced concrete with different fiber contents

Author(s)

Coronel, Stefany dos Anjos ; Serafini, Ramoel ; Rambo, Dimas Alan Strauss ; Salvador, Renan Picolo ; Bitencourt Junior, Luis Antonio Guimaraes

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS; v. 470, p. 11-pg., 2025-02-27.

Abstract

The Double-Edge Wedge Splitting (DEWS) test presents several advantages as an indirect test to determine the post-crack tensile parameters of steel fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC). However, practical challenges related to the preparation of notched and wedged specimens, as well as the precise control of crack opening using extensometers, limit its large-scale applicability. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of a simplified DEWS test by eliminating the need for extensometers through a geometric correlation between crack opening and stroke displacement. The experimental program evaluated three SFRC mix designs with commercial steel fiber contents of 20, 40, and 60 kg/m3, comparing the conventional and simplified DEWS methodologies. The molding procedure resulted in a significant increase in terms of post-cracking strength for both the serviceability limit state (SLS) and the ultimate limit state (ULS) for fiber contents of 40 and 60 kg/m3. However, no significant difference in post-crack tensile strength was observed between the specimen preparation methods for the group with a fiber content of 20 kg/m3. The correlation between crack opening and stroke displacement proved to be adequate, with an average error of around 10 %, being higher for lower fiber volumes. The study contributes to advancing testing methodologies by offering a more efficient and cost-effective approach for determining the post-cracking properties of SFRC, potentially informing future standardization efforts and promoting optimized practices in the construction industry. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 22/03179-0 - Multiscale modeling of plain and steel fiber reinforced concrete and its application to predicting the behavior of structural members
• Grantee: Luís Antônio Guimarães Bitencourt Júnior
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Initial Project
• FAPESP's process: 22/14045-5 - Effect of high temperatures on concrete produced with steel fibers subjected to surface treatment with nanosilica: pullout behavior, mechanical properties, and numerical simulation
• Grantee: Ramoel Serafini
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 23/09896-9 - ROBOTIC MAGNETIC ORIENTATION OF STEEL FIBERS AS A STRATEGY FOR REINFORCING CONCRETE ELEMENTS: DEVELOPMENT, PHYSICAL-MECHANICAL CHARACTERIZATION AND IMAGE ANALYSES
• Grantee: Dimas Alan Strauss Rambo
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants