摘要: |
It is well established that the low-volume addition of fibers (synthetic or steel) to concrete can significantly reduce cracking due to plastic shrinkage. However, as of today, there is no consensus standard test method available to measure this effect. A test procedure is under scrutiny at ASTM. In this procedure, the surface cracks of a plain concrete panel are compared with those of a fiber-reinforced concrete panel under conditions of severe and controlled moisture loss. The results of an experimental project aiming to determine the validity and repeatability of the test procedure on plastic shrinkage under consideration by ASTM are reported. For this purpose, various fiber types (i.e., synthetics and steel), in different configurations (i.e., monofilament, fibrillated, deformed) and of various lengths, were used with the same concrete matrix. The results show that the proposed ASTM standard has merit. Its major drawback is that specimen performance characterization is based exclusively on crack width. |