Multi-scale modeling of fiber and fabric reinforced cement based composites

With an increased use of fiber reinforced concrete in structural applications, proper characterization techniques and development of design guides are needed. This dissertation presents a multi-scale modeling approach for fiber and fabric reinforced cement-based composites. A micromechanics-based model of the yarn pullout mechanism due to the failure of the interfacial zone is presented. The effect of mechanical anchorage of transverse yarns is simulated using nonlinear spring elements. The yarn pullout mechanism was used in a meso-scale modeling approach to simulate the yarn bridging force in the crack evolution process. The tensile stress-strain response of a tension specimen that experiences distributed cracking can be simulated using a generalized finite difference approach. The stiffness degradation, tension stiffening, crack spacing evolution, and crack width characteristics of cement composites can be derived using matrix, interface and fiber properties.;The theoretical models developed for fabric reinforced cement composites were then extended to cover other types of fiber reinforced concrete such as shotcrete, glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC), steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC), ferrocement and other conventional composite systems. The uniaxial tensile stress-strain response was used to formulate a generalized parametric closed-form solution for predicting flexural behavior of various composites at the macro-structural level. The flexural behaviors of these composites were modeled in a unified manner by means of a moment-curvature relationship based on the uniaxial material models.;A variety of theoretical models were developed to address the various mechanisms including: an analytical yarn pullout model; a nonlinear finite difference fabric pullout model; a nonlinear finite difference tension model; closed-form solutions for strain-softening materials; closed-form solutions for strain-softening/hardening materials; and closed-form solutions for hybrid reinforced concrete models. These theoretical models were verified by independent experimental results obtained from various sources in literature. In addition, the closed-form solutions for flexural modeling were simplified to obtain design equations. Two guidelines were proposed for the design of flexural members using strain-softening fiber reinforced concrete with and without conventional steel rebar, and using strain-hardening glass fiber reinforced concrete. The proposed methodologies enable one to conduct experiments to obtain material parameters and design structural members using a unified and cohesive formulation.