A multiscale oriented approach to the analyses of steel fiber reinforced concrete materials and structures is proposed. At the micro level, the pullout behavior of a steel fiber embedded in con- crete matrix, either straight or with hooked end, with…
A multiscale oriented approach to the analyses of steel fiber reinforced concrete materials and structures is proposed. At the micro level, the pullout behavior of a steel fiber embedded in con- crete matrix, either straight or with hooked end, with or without inclination to the loading direction, is investigated by means of analytical or numerical models which take into account the interfacial slip, the plastic deformation of fiber and the localized damage of concrete. A representative volume element (RVE) containing a number of fibers is used to describe the composite behavior at the meso- scale. For a certain opening crack, the bridging effect is obtained by the integration of the individual pullout response of all fibers crossing the crack; the mechanical properties of the RVE is analyzed us- ing a modified fracture-micromechanics model. At the macroscopic level, the Finite Element Method is used, applying the Embedded Crack approach, for which the cohesive behavior along macro-cracks and the material properties of the continuous parts are obtained from the homogenization of fiber- crack interactions and the corresponding RVE, respectively.