Static and dynamic tensile behaviour of PE-fibrous ferrocement

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a study on the quasi-static and dynamic uni-axial tensile behaviours of polyethylene-fibrous ferrocement. The study first focused on the quasi-static tensile responses of fibrous-ferrocement reinforced with different volume fractions of short polyethylene fibres. The dynamic tensile behaviour was next investigated by subjecting the tensile specimens to different strain rates varying from 2 3 1026/s to 2 3 1021/s. The quasi-static tests revealed superior tensile strength and strain capacities as well as cracking behaviour of polyethylene-fibrous ferrocement compared with conventional ferrocement specimens. In the dynamic tests, higher energy absorption capacities were observed in the specimens that were subjected to higher strain rates, and the dynamic increase factors of both polyethylene-fibre reinforced cementitious composite and polyethylene-fibrous ferrocement were estimated and observed to be higher than those of conventional concrete. Therefore, better performance can be expected from such fibrous cementitious composites when they are subjected to dynamic loadings of short duration.