Construction and Building Materials 275 (2021) 122176

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Construction and Building Materials

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/conbuildmat

Experimental study of bond between steel bars and hybrid fibers

reinforced concrete
Fernanda Martins Cavalcante de Melo a,⇑, Anna Cristina Araújo de Jesus Cruz a,
Leonardo Dantas de Souza Netto b, Marcos Antônio de Souza Simplício c
a
Federal Institute of Sergipe, Rua João Café Filho, 260, CEP 49200-000 Estância, SE, Brazil
b
Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rua Horácio Macedo 2030, CEP 21941-909 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
c
Federal University of Campina Grande, Rua Aprígio Veloso, 882, CEP 58428-830 Campina Grande, PB, Brazil

h i g h l i g h t s

The influence of hybrid fiber on the bond stress-slip curves the bar to concrete was investigated.

The influence of rebar diameter on the bond stress-slip curves the bar to concrete was investigated.

The ductility of concretes was investigated.

The experimental results were compared to analytical models.

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: The bond between hybrid fiber reinforced concrete and steel bars were analyzed in this work. Through
Received 24 July 2020 the comparative analysis of bond strength and bond stress-slip curves evidenced the influence of the
Received in revised form 5 November 2020 bar diameter (10, 12.5 and 16 mm) and type of fiber incorporated to the concrete (steel-
Accepted 23 December 2020
polypropylene, steel-glass and polypropylene-glass). The results show that the addition of hybrid fibers
Available online 11 January 2021
reduced the maximum bond strength of concrete in relation to plain concrete. The positive influence on
concrete ductility was observed in specimens with hybrid fibers and with a bar larger diameter (16 mm).
Keyword:
Ó 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Bond-slip
Fiber reinforced concrete
Steel-polypropylene hybrid fiber
Steel-glass hybrid fiber
Polypropylene-glass hybrid fiber

1. Introduction steel bars. However, they are better in controlling cracking and
replacing large individual cracks for several micro-cracks, which
Because it has a great use in structural elements of buildings, may be acceptable considering the safety and durability of the
reinforced concrete has been studied to gather information about structure. Steel bars and fiber play different roles in modern con-
the best performance of this material in structures with a great crete technology [1].
capacity for strength and durability. It is known that, although con- Seeking a better response of individual performance, different
crete presents an excellent compressive strength, this material has types of fibers may be suitably combined (hybrid fibers) resulting
a fragile behavior and needs reinforcement in order to improve its in a composite with better properties. This includes the combina-
properties and expand its applicability. Historically, such reinforce- tion of fibers with different shapes, dimensions, tensile strengths
ment takes place with the addition of steel bars. Fibers are another and elastic modulus. Fibers are more rigid and resistant, such as
reinforcement option. However, they are usually discontinuous steel and glass fibers. They improve the resistance to the appear-
and randomly distributed throughout the cement matrix. They ance of the first cracks and to maximum load. More flexible and
are not as efficient in supporting tensile stresses as conventional ductile fibers, such as polypropylene fiber, improve toughness
and therefore the deformation capacity in the post-crack zone [2].
The bond between the constituents of a cement composite is a
⇑ Corresponding author. key factor because they are responsible for the interaction and
E-mail addresses: [email protected], [email protected] transfer of stress between materials. When it comes to
(F.M.C. de Melo).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.122176
0950-0618/Ó 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Fernanda Martins Cavalcante de Melo, Anna Cristina Araújo de Jesus Cruz, Leonardo Dantas de Souza Netto et al. Construction and Building Materials 275 (2021) 122176

steel–concrete bond, there are two main problems: anchoring of Table 2

the reinforcement and cracking of concrete parts. In anchorages, Physical properties of the aggregates.

it is necessary to transfer the stresses of the adjacent rebars to Physical properties No. 1 No. 2 Sand
the concrete with a proper length so that the transfer of stress Specific gravity (g/cm )3
2.67 2.67 2.62
occurs. To ensure a good bond, in addition to the geometric charac- Water absorption (%) 0.60 0.25 –
teristics of the bar, the quality of the concrete in the anchorage Fineness modulus 5.87 7.52 2.51
zone is of main importance. As for the cracking of concrete parts, Maximum size (mm) 12.5 25 4.8

usually the openings of the cracks have to be kept below pre-

scribed limits [3].
Among the main factors characterizing bond strength, the 2.1. Materials
mechanical properties of concrete, concrete volume surrounding
the bar (coatings of concrete and bar spacing), transverse rein- The cement was a Portland cement with Pozzolan, whose prop-
forcement confinement (slowing the spread of cracks), bar sur- erties are shown in Table 1. Table 2 shows sieve analysis and phys-
face conditions and geometry (width, height and angle of the ical properties of aggregates. The fibers used in this study were
ribs) can be mentioned [4]. Studies are developed in order to steel, polypropylene and glass (Fig. 1). The length of the fibers
determine the influence of these parameters on the behavior and their percentage for addition into concrete were based on
of bond. the levels indicated by the manufacturers considering the applica-
The bond between steel bars and fiber reinforced concrete has tion to the control of concrete cracking. Table 3 shows the main
been studied by some authors [5–10]. However, there is a scarcity characteristics of the fibers.
of research that addresses the bond between steel bars to concrete In Fig. 2 the granulometric curves of the aggregates were plot-
with hybrid fibers. Some researchers present results of the behav- ted, compared to the classic curves of Funk and Dinger [15]. The
ior of this bond for concretes with the combination of steel and Füller and Thompson equation has no minimum particle size limit,
polypropylene fibers. so infinitely small particles are allowed, which does not portray
Huang et al. [11] investigated the bond between steel bars reality. This need was observed by Andreason and Furnas, Funk
and concrete with steel and polypropylene hybrid fibers and and Dinger who added a lower limit to the set of particles, as can
found that compared to plain concrete, the introduction of be seen through the following equation [15–16] where CPFT:
hybrid fibers has a positive influence on the bond strength, cumulative percente finer than, Dn: particle size, Ds: largest parti-
due to the synergistic effects in the inhibition of crack propaga- cle size and n: distribution modulus, optimum packing occurs at a
tion, at various scales and at various stages. Huang et al. [12] distribution modulus, n, of 0.37 [15].
claim that the introduction of hybrid fibers results in concrete
Dn  Dns
more ductile behavior. CPFTð%Þ ¼ ð1Þ
Ganesan et al. [13] conducted pull-out tests aiming to study the DnL  Dns
effects of hybrid fibers (steel and polypropylene) on the behavior of The steel used for the manufacture of bond test specimens was
bond stress curve - steel bar slip. The combined effect provided a CA 50 (steel for reinforced concrete) with a ribbed surface, yield
control of the formation and propagation of cracks on both levels: strength of 563.33 MPa and tensile strength of 673.01 MPa. Both
micro and macro-cracks. Further, an increasing bond stress and a properties were determined experimentally. The geometric char-
decreased slip were found. acteristics of the bars are shown in Table 4.
With the advent of the incorporation of hybrid fibers into
concrete, research has demonstrated their contribution to reduc-
2.2. Concrete mixes and details of specimens
ing the propagation of cracks, improving the toughness of con-
crete. However, it is evident the rarity of research that
Table 5 shows the compositions of the materials studied during
addresses the bond between steel bar and concretes with hybrid
fibers. Therefore, this research the main contribution to investi- the production of the concretes. For each type of concrete, 15 spec-
imens were cast. Thus, there were six cylindrical specimens for
gate the influence of the addition of new combinations for
hybridization (steel-glass, polypropylene-glass) on the behavior compressive strength testing (100 mm diameter  200 mm in
height), and nine for the push-out tests, three repetitions per bar
of steel–concrete bond, in addition to combinations already con-
templated in previous research to steel-polypropylene fibers type (10, 12.5 and 16). The prismatic specimens were
[11–13]. 200 mm  200 mm  200 mm with an anchoring length five times
the bar diameter, adopting the recommendations of RILEM RC6
[17]. The dimensions of the specimens adopted for the bond test
are shown in Fig. 3. To ensure that no bar section without bonds
2. Experimental program had contact with the concrete, it was used a plastic hose. The free
portions of the bar under the hose were wrapped with adhesive
The experimental program was developed aiming to evaluate tape.
the variation in bond stress between concrete mixtures and steel The fibers were added fractionally in order to facilitate its dis-
bars, according to the push-out test scheme proposed by RILEM persion in the fresh mixture. The specimens were labeled,
AAC 8.2 [14]. The variables to be analyzed were bar diameter (/) demoulded at 24 h, and forwarded to water curing, where they
(10, 12.5 and 16 mm) and type of fiber mix to be incorporated into remained until 28 days. After these steps, the specimens were
the concrete (steel-polypropylene, steel-glass and polypropylene- stored until the date of the test, which occurred after an average
glass). of 85 days. The details of the specimens adopted in this study are

Table 1
Properties of cement.

Fineness index Initial setting time Final setting time Specific gravity Normal consistency
0.97% 175 min 240 min 3.00 g/cm3 29.9%

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Fernanda Martins Cavalcante de Melo, Anna Cristina Araújo de Jesus Cruz, Leonardo Dantas de Souza Netto et al. Construction and Building Materials 275 (2021) 122176

Fig. 1. Fibers used.

Table 3 Table 5
General properties of fibers. Mix proportion for concrete.

Steel Polypropylene Glass kg/m3

Length (mm) 60 12 12 Cement 395
Diameter (mm) 0.75 0.018 0.014 Sand 715
Aspect ratio 80 667 857 Coarse aggregate no. 1 446
Density (g/cm3) 7.85 0.91 2.68 Coarse aggregate no. 2 668
Tensile strength (MPa) 1100 300 1700 Water 182
Modulus of elasticity 210 3 74 w/c 0.46
Superplasticizer and set retarder 5.9
Adittion fiber
Steel fiber (0.3% in volume) 24
Polypropylene fiber (0.1% in volume) 0.6
Glass fiber (0.02% in volume) 0.6
Steel and Polypropylene fiber (0.3%–0.1%) in volume 24–0.6
Steel and Glass fiber (0.3%–0.02%) in volume 24–0.6
Polypropylene and Glass fiber (0.1%–0.02%) in volume 0.6–0 6

Note: in all concrete mixtures, only the type of fiber addition was different, the
other components were the same.

test. In this test, a bar was incorporated into an ACC prism along
a defined length and stressed at one end by a compressive force.
The remaining end was not stressed. Other researchers have
adopted the configuration of the push-out test for the experimen-
tal evaluation of the steel–concrete bond strength [18–20].
The specimens were loaded until the maximum slip of 10 mm,
to analyze the influence of the fibers on ductility during bond test.
Tests were conducted in an INSTRON universal test machine with a
250 kN load cell. The scheme of the test configuration is shown in
Fig. 2. Granulometric curves of aggregates.
Fig. 3. To obtain data from applied load and bar slip, the software
Instron BluehillÒ 3 was used. Data were used to generate stress-
Table 4 displacement curves. In order to verify whether the displacement
Properties of deformed reinforcement bars. measured in the test was precise, was used the dial gauge (Fig. 3).
/ (mm) Height of rib Spacing between the ribs (mm) After test finished, forces applied in function of displacement
were calculated. From the applied load (F), using the equation
10 0.78 6.0
12.5 1.05 8.1
below, the bond stress was calculated (sb) for each bar displace-
16 1.45 9.6 ment, considering the bar diameter (/) and the anchorage length
(lb), which was five times the bar diameter.
F
summarized in Table 6 where is possible see the fiber volume frac- sb ¼ ð2Þ
p:/:lb
tion (in percent), bar diameter and number of tests performed.
To take account the ductility of concretes, in addition to the
2.3. Tests curve aspect, in the push-out test, the relationship between the
final stress (sf), defined as the stress for a displacement of 5 mm
Concretes from various mixtures were characterized in terms of (sf (5 mm)) or 10 mm (sf (10 mm)) and the maximum stress (smax),
their bond to steel bar. The influence of steel bar diameter and type was adopted.
of fiber to be added to the concrete were also evaluated. In all tests,
concrete (without fibers) was adopted as a reference for the com- 3. Test results and discussion
parative study.
The test used in this research followed the recommendation of Table 7 shows the compressive strength values (fc) of the spec-
RILEM, which prescribes, in the publication AAC 8.2 [14] - Push-out imens, the maximum bond stress (smax) with its respective (dsmax)
test for reinforcement, the configuration of a test called push-out slip. The relation between maximum bond stress of fiber reinforced
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Fernanda Martins Cavalcante de Melo, Anna Cristina Araújo de Jesus Cruz, Leonardo Dantas de Souza Netto et al. Construction and Building Materials 275 (2021) 122176

Fig. 3. Test setup, data generated by Instron BluehillÒ 3 software and dimension of specimens.

Table 6
Details of specimens.

Specimen designation Vsf (%) Vpf (%) Vgf (%) / (mm) Number of repetitions per test and measurable parameters
Push-out s (MPa) and d (mm) Compressive strength fc (MPa)
RC/10 – – – 10 3 6
RC/12.5 – – – 12.5 3 6
RC/16 – – – 16 3 6
SFC/10 0.3 – – 10 3 6
SFC/12.5 0.3 – – 12.5 3 6
SFC/16 0.3 – – 16 3 6
PFC/10 – 0.1 – 10 3 6
PFC/12.5 – 0.1 – 12.5 3 6
PFC/16 – 0.1 – 16 3 6
GFC/10 – – 0.02 10 3 6
GFC/12.5 – – 0.02 12.5 3 6
PSFC/10 0.3 0.1 – 10 3 6
PSFC/12.5 0.3 0.1 – 12.5 3 6
PSFC/16 0.3 0.1 – 16 3 6
GSFC/10 0.3 0.02 – 10 3 6
GSFC/12.5 0.3 0.02 – 12.5 3 6
GSFC/16 0.3 0.02 – 16 3 6
GPFC/10 – 0.1 0.02 10 3 6
GPFC/12.5 – 0.1 0.02 12.5 3 6
GPFC/16 – 0.1 0.02 16 3 6

Note: C: concrete. R: reference, without fibers. F: with fibers. S: steel fibers. P: polypropylene fibers. G: glass fibers.

concretes (smax,FC) and plain concrete (smax,RC) is also shown. It is ternal exudation), providing a thicker transition zone. This increase
noted that the addition of hybrid fibers leads to a decrease in smax weakens the bond between the mortar matrix and the steel rods,
of fiber reinforced concrete in relation to plain concrete or con- making it more porous given a failure by rib crushing [21]. There-
cretes with a single type of fiber. fore, it is noteworthy that the bond stress for the PSFC was reduced
with increasing diameter. However, for the GSFC and GPFC the
results show oscillations between increases and decreases in the
3.1. Maximum bond stress
maximum bond stress.
3.1.1. Influence of bar diameter
The influence of bar diameter on bond behavior is significant.
From the data in Table 7 and Fig. 4, it is possible to observe that 3.1.2. Influence of incorporate hybrid fibers on concrete
the smax values decreases with increasing bar diameter for all types Checking the influence of hybrid fibers in the maximum bond
of concrete except to GSFC and GPFC. stress (Table 7 and Fig. 5), it was observed that the value of smax,
The thickness of the transition zone becomes greater in larger FC decreases for all diameters employed for GSFC, GPFC and PSFC
diameter bars. By increasing the diameter and height of the ribs, specimens, in relation to RC. The higher reduction was to GSFC
there is a mixing water retention in the lower part of the bar (in- specimens.
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Fernanda Martins Cavalcante de Melo, Anna Cristina Araújo de Jesus Cruz, Leonardo Dantas de Souza Netto et al. Construction and Building Materials 275 (2021) 122176

Table 7
Results of experimental test.

Specimen designation fc (MPa) smax (MPa) dsmax (mm) smax,FC/ smax,RC Residual strength
sf (5mm) (MPa) sf (5 mm)/smax sf (10 mm) (MPa) sf (10 mm)/ smax
RC/10 39.17 ± 2.82 18.32 ± 0.18 2.20 ± 0.59 1.00 8.85 ± 0.90 0.48 – –
RC/12.5 39.17 ± 2.82 15.13 ± 1.55 2.39 ± 0.00 1.00 9.57 ± 1.97 0.63 – –
RC/16 39.17 ± 2.82 15.80 ± 0.00 2.75 ± 0.00 1.00 3.74 ± 0.00 0.24 – –
SFC/10 44.14 ± 2.42 18.45 ± 0.12 2.42 ± 0.05 1.01 8.13 ± 0.57 0.44 3.73 ± 0.02 0.20
SFC/12.5 44.14 ± 2.42 20.66 ± 0.42 2.56 ± 0.00 1.37 14.21 ± 1.18 0.69 7.70 ± 2.34 0.37
SFC/16 44.14 ± 2.42 14.28 ± 0.76 2.42 ± 0.22 0.90 8.10 ± 0.78 0.57 – –
PFC/10 39.83 ± 6.17 18.03 ± 0.82 2.86 ± 0.68 0.98 10.16 ± 1.41 0.56 3.63 ± 0.51 0.20
PFC/12.5 39.83 ± 6.17 15.44 ± 0.27 1.99 ± 0.15 1.02 6.93 ± 0.20 0.45 2.20 ± 0.11 0.14
PFC/16 39.83 ± 6.17 10.38 ± 0.00 1.70 ± 0.00 0.66 3.62 ± 0.00 0.35 0 0
GFC/10 39.70 ± 3.34 17.35 ± 0.55 1.90 ± 0.21 0.95 6.75 ± 0.18 0.39 2.84 ± 0.13 0.16
GFC/12.5 39.70 ± 3.34 12.92 ± 1.17 2.39 ± 0.23 0.85 8.73 ± 1.25 0.68 5.64 ± 0.90 0.44
PSFC/10 41.24 ± 3.34 15.42 ± 0.89 1.88 ± 0.10 0.84 6.13 ± 0.42 0.40 3.04 ± 0.07 0.20
PSFC/12.5 41.24 ± 3.34 14.98 ± 0.55 2.18 ± 0.20 0.99 10.37 ± 0.45 0.69 7.30 ± 0.47 0.49
PSFC/16 41.24 ± 3.34 12.54 ± 0.23 2.55 ± 0.21 0.79 9.42 ± 0.42 0.75 4.53 ± 0.74 0.36
GSFC/10 32.54 ± 2.22 9.93 ± 0.40 1.60 ± 0.17 0.54 3.01 ± 0.39 0.30 1.40 ± 0.22 0.14
GSFC/12.5 32.54 ± 2.22 11.75 ± 0.31 2.45 ± 0.12 0.78 5.97 ± 0.68 0.51 3.70 ± 1.10 0.31
GSFC/16 32.54 ± 2.22 11.64 ± 0.56 3.69 ± 0.64 0.74 10.69 ± 0.53 0.92 3.72 ± 0.47 0.32
GPFC/10 43.02 ± 1.74 13.56 ± 0.83 2.20 ± 0.41 0.74 4.99 ± 0.95 0.37 2.64 ± 1.34 0.19
GPFC/12.5 43.02 ± 1.74 11.85 ± 0.83 2.90 ± 0.31 0.78 7.65 ± 0.88 0.65 2.37 ± 0.24 0.20
GPFC/16 43.02 ± 1.74 15.52 ± 0.37 2.65 ± 0.25 0.98 12.47 ± 0.21 0.80 6.04 ± 1.15 0.39

The reduction in smax can be explained by the increase in the air

content trapped by the addition of fibers, as already registered in
previous research by [6]. Ganesan et al. [13] also found a reduction
in PSFC samples with 16 mm bars, from 5% to 11%, for different
levels. Huang et al. [11,12] found a small reduction in the PSFC,
adopting volumes close to that of this research.

3.1.3. Influence of concrete with hybrid fibers in relation to concrete

with a type of fiber
Analyzing the influence of hybrid fibers in relation to concrete
with one type of fiber, on the maximum bond stress (Table 7 and
Fig. 6), it was observed that the value of:

(1) smax, PSFC in relation to smax, SFC and smax, PFC, was reduced by
16% and 14%, respectively in specimens with 10 mm bar
diameter. In 12.5 mm bar diameter there was a reduction
of 27% and 3%, respectively. In specimens with 16 mm bar
diameter there was a reduction in relation to smax, SFC of
Fig. 4. Influence of bar diameter in the maximum bond stress. 12% and an increase of 21% in relation to smax, PFC.
(2) smax, GSFC of members with 10 mm bar diameter in relation
to smax, SFC and smax, GFC, was reduced by 46% and 43%,
respectively. In specimens with 12.5 mm diameter there
was a reduction of 43% and 9%. In those with 16 mm bar
diameter there was a reduction in relation to smax, SFC of 18%.
(3) smax, GPFC of specimens with 10 mm bar diameter in relation
to smax, PFC and smax, GFC, was reduced by 25% and 22%,
respectively. Similarly, in specimens with 12.5 mm bar
diameter there was a reduction of 23% and 8%. However, in
specimens with 16 mm bar diameter there was an increase
in relation to smax, PFC of 50%.

Thus, there is a reduction in the maximum bond stress for con-

cretes with hybrid fibers: PSFC and GSFC, in relation to concrete
with a type of fiber (SFC - PFC and SFC - GFC, respectively). A pos-
sible explanation may be related to the non-uniform fibers distri-
bution in the matrix and the generation of voids resulting from
the increase in the volume of fibers [6]. Thus, the bond and disper-
sion of the fibers in the matrix may not occur efficiently. However,
for the GPFC specimens there was an increase in relation to the PFC
specimens, because in addition to the polypropylene fibers have
Fig. 5. Influence of hybrid fibers in the maximum bond stress in relation to concrete reduced adherence and poor dispersion in the cementitious matrix
without fibers. [1,4] they have a low load-bearing capacity [11,12]. Ganesan et al.
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Fernanda Martins Cavalcante de Melo, Anna Cristina Araújo de Jesus Cruz, Leonardo Dantas de Souza Netto et al. Construction and Building Materials 275 (2021) 122176

Fig. 6. Influence of hybrid fibers in the maximum bond stress in relation to concrete with a type of fiber.

[13] recorded reductions for PSFC samples with 20 mm bars.

Huang et al. [11,12] observed a small increase in the tension of
the PSFC in relation to the PFC.

3.2. Slip (dsmax)

3.2.1. Influence of bar diameter

The slips corresponding to the maximum stress (dsmax), shown
in Table 7 and Fig. 7, increases for members with all types of hybrid
fibers when the bar diameter increases.
Thus, all concrete with hybrid fibers showed the lowest slip val-
ues corresponding to the maximum stress (dsmax) for the speci-
mens with 10 mm bars. Still, it appears that the biggest
percentage differences for dsmax, between the diameters, were for
concrete with steel-glass hybrid fibers.

3.2.2. Influence of concrete with hybrid fibers (HFC) in relation to

concrete without fibers
Checking the influence of hybrid fibers (Table 7 and Fig. 8), it
was observed that the value of dsmax,HFC in relation to dsmax, RC of: Fig. 8. Influence of hybrid fibers in the slip in relation to concrete without fibers.

(1) There was a reduction of 15% and 27% for PSFC/10 and
GSFC/10, respectively. Only the GPFC/10 remained (2) There was a decrease by 9% for PSFC/12.5 and increases of
unchanged. 3% and 21% for GSFC/12.5 and GPFC/12.5, respectively.
(3) For specimens with 16 mm bar diameter there was regis-
tered a reduction of 7% and 4% for PSFC and GPFC, respec-
tively, while GSFC presented an increase of 34%.

Therefore, in the PSFC there was a reduction of slips in relation

to the concrete without fibers, and in the GSFC and GPFC, there
were increases, reductions, and values similar to that of the RC.

3.2.3. Influence of concrete with hybrid fibers in relation to concrete

with a type of fiber
Checking the value of dsmax, HFC in relation to dsmax of con-
cretes with a type of fiber (Table 7 and Fig. 9), it was observed that
the value of:

(1) For 10 mm bar diameter specimens, d smax, PSFC in relation to

dsmax, SFC, and dsmax, PFC, was reduced by 22% and 78%,
respectively. In those with 12.5 mm bar diameter there
was a reduction of 15% in relation to dsmax, PFC, and an
increase of 10%, in comparison to dsmax, SFC. In specimens
with 16 mm bar diameter there were increases of 5% and
50% in relation to dsmax, SFC, and dsmax, PFC, respectively.
(2) For 10 mm bar diameter specimens dsmax, GSFC in relation to
dsmax, SFC, and dsmax, GFC, was reduced by 34% and 16%,
respectively. In 12.5 mm bar diameter specimens there
Fig. 7. Influence of bar diameter in the slip.

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Fernanda Martins Cavalcante de Melo, Anna Cristina Araújo de Jesus Cruz, Leonardo Dantas de Souza Netto et al. Construction and Building Materials 275 (2021) 122176

Fig. 9. Influence of hybrid fibers in the slip in relation to concrete with a type of fiber.

was a reduction of 4%, in relation to dsmax, SFC, and an The next section discusses the bond behavior considering the
increase of 3%, in comparison to dsmax, GFC. For 16 mm bar variables type of fiber added to the concrete and bar diameter.
diameter members there was an increase in relation to
dsmax, SFC of 52%.
(3) dsmax, GPFC of specimens with 10 mm bar diameter in relation 3.3.1. Influence of bar diameter
to dsmax, PFC registered a reduction of 23%. Compared to Observing the influence of the diameter of the bar, in the behav-
dsmax, GFC, a 16% increase was observed. In 12.5 mm bar ior of the bond stress-slip curve of the concretes with hybrid fibers
diameter specimens there was an increase of 46% and 21%, (Fig. 10) and in the residual resistance (Table 7), it is noted that for:
respectively to dsmax, PFC, and dsmax, GFC. Similarly, in mem-
bers with 16 mm bar diameter there was an increase in rela- (1) PSFC specimens the curve aspect was changed when the
tion to dsmax, PFC of 56%. diameter of the bar increased from 10 mm to 12.5 mm, how-
ever with the increase in the bar to 16 mm, it showed a sim-
Therefore, it is noted that the hybridization in its majority ilar curve to those with 12.5 mm. As for the residual
showed increases in the slip values in relation to the PFC and strength, até df, 5mm, the best performance was recorded
GFC, decreases in comparison to the SFC. for 16 mm bar diameter members, with 0.75, and up to df,
10mm, C/1.25 surpasses ductility with 0.49, even with the for-
mation of the level in the curve in members with 10 mm bar
diameter.
3.3. Bond stress - slip curve and residual post-peak strength (2) GSFC specimens showed the curve aspect similar for the
10 mm and 12.5 mm but with a visible change in the curve
The bond behavior was investigated by comparing the bond with the increase of the bar diameter to 16 mm. The 16 mm
stress-slip curves (Figs. 10–12). It can be observed that the layout (0,32) e 12.5 mm (0,31) bar diameter specimens demon-
of the curves is characterized by an increasing linear branch until strated a significant improvement in ductility mainly in
peak load, considered the early region of matrix cracking, and a comparison to those with 10 mm whose registered index
post-peak stage which differs according to the type of concrete. was 0.14.
In accordance with the FIP-Model Code [22] the concrete rein- (3) GPFC specimens the curve behavior showed a milder load
forced with fiber is considered as having a structural implementa- reduction as the bar diameter increased. The best ductility
tion when project constituent laws consider the post-peak residual was obtained for 16 mm bar diameter with an index of 0.39.
strength provided by the fibers. For the evaluation of the post-peak
residual strength of concrete, in the push-out test, the relation Thus, it is noted that ductility was reduced for 10 mm diameter
between the final stress (sf), defined as the stress for a 5 mm (sf members and improved considerably for specimens with
(5 mm)) or a 10 mm displacement ((sf (10 mm)), and maximum stress 16 mm bar diameter. These presented a curve with greater energy
(smax) was adopted and the values are shown in Table 7. absorption, post-peak, in all mixtures. Thus, the results express the

Fig. 10. Bond stress versus slip behavior of hybrid fiber specimens by mixture.

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Fernanda Martins Cavalcante de Melo, Anna Cristina Araújo de Jesus Cruz, Leonardo Dantas de Souza Netto et al. Construction and Building Materials 275 (2021) 122176

Fig. 11. Bond stress versus slip behavior of hybrid specimens in relation to concrete without fibers, by diameter, (a) /10, (b) / 12.5 and (c) / 16.

Fig. 12. (a) Bond stress versus slip behavior of PSFC specimens in relation to concrete with a type of fiber, by diameter, (a) / 10, (b) / 12.5 and (c) / 16. (b) Bond stress versus
slip behavior of GSFC specimens in relation to concrete with a type of fiber, by diameter, (a) / 10, (b) / 12.5. (c) Bond stress versus slip behavior of GPFC specimens in relation
to concrete with a type of fiber, by diameter, (a) / 10, (b) / 12.5.

Fig. 12 (continued)

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Fernanda Martins Cavalcante de Melo, Anna Cristina Araújo de Jesus Cruz, Leonardo Dantas de Souza Netto et al. Construction and Building Materials 275 (2021) 122176

Fig. 12 (continued)

positive influence of the fibers on the ductility of the concrete (1) the aspect of the PSFC curve (Fig. 12a) showed a more grad-
mainly in the specimens with the largest bar diameter, which ual reduction in loss of bond stress, post-peak, than those of
can be attributed to the increase in the mechanical parcel of the the individual fibers. Ductility remained unchanged for
bond stress; with greater demands on the concrete around the bar. PSFC/10 and increased compared to both SFC and PFC.
(2) the formation of a level on the GSFC curve (Fig. 12b), which
3.3.2. Influence of concrete with hybrid fibers (HFC) in relation to was not verified for concretes with a type of fiber. Ductility,
concrete without fibers for C/10 and C/12.5, was lower in relation to two types of
The HFC curve layout (Fig. 11) was different in relation to the concrete with individual fibers. But for the C/16, the ductil-
reference concrete, which showed a sudden drop after reaching ity of the GSFC surpassed the SFC.
the maximum bond stress, while the concrete with the hybrid (3) the aspect of the GPFC curve (Fig. 12c) showed no difference
fibers demonstrates greater absorption energy, after the peak, for the specimens with 10 mm bar diameter. For GPFC/12.5,
showing the contribution of fiber mixture. some similar and different stages are observed in compar-
Considering the influence of hybrid fibers in relation to concrete ison to individual fibers. In the GPFC, the ductility of the con-
without fibers, it is observed that: cretes for the C/10 remained similar to the PFC and
generated an increase in comparison to the GFC. For
(1) the ductility of concrete with hybrid fibers, for 10 mm bar C/12.5, ductility improved compared to PFC and decreased
diameter members, was lower than RC, which recorded an significantly compared to GFC. For C/16, GPFC improved sig-
index of 0.48. However, there is the formation of a level in nificantly compared to PFC.
SPFC and SGFC curves, since there is an increased amount
of fibers available to prevent the propagation of cracks. Therefore, the best performance of concrete with hybrid fibers
(2) In the members with 12.5 mm bar diameter registered a in relation t o concrete that a type of fiber, used for hybridization,
minor increase in the ductility of PSFC and GPFC, but this was achieved by PSFC while GSFC with the exception of samples
was reduced for GSFC, with an index of 0.51. with 16 mm bar diameter, reduced ductility compared to GFC
(3) for 16 mm bar diameter specimens a significant improve- and SFC. The GPFC showed increases and decreases in relation to
ment in ductility was achieved by concretes with hybrid the PFC and GFC.
fibers when compared to RC, which presented a fragile
behavior (0.24). For df, 5mm, the GSFC demonstrated the 3.4. Rupture and cracking type
greatest load-bearing capacity, with an index of 0.92. For
df, 10mm, the three types showed similar ductilities, being It was not possible to verify in this research the type of crack,
an index of 0.36 for PSFC, 0.32 for GSFC, and 0.39 for GPFC. considering that the test was monitored by a fixed slip (5 mm or
10 mm). However, by analyzing 10 mm and 12.5 mm bars, mostly
A significant improvement in the ductility of concrete with had no notable cracks on the surface. Thus, it is possible to predict
hybrid fibers has already been recorded [11–13]. In this research, that the type of rupture would be by pull-out, typical for the size of
the best performance in relation to concrete without fibers was the specimens adopted in this research, which generates consider-
achieved by PSFC. Huang et al. [11] also reported that the addition able confinement around the bar. However, for the specimens with
of hybrid fibers exhibits an obvious positive influence on the per- 16 mm bars, some indicated a rupture by cracking, while others by
formance of bond in terms of final strength, peak slip, and particu- pull-out. Dancygier et al. [7] only observed significant cracks dur-
larly bond stress in the post-peak stage, with a milder decline. ing the bond tests for specimens with 20 mm bars, which was
not noticed for small diameter bars.
3.3.3. Influence of concrete with hybrid fibers in relation to concrete The cracking model of the concrete with 16 mm bars can be
with a type of fiber summarized by the patterns illustrated in Fig. 13. Fig. 13 (a) shows
Analyzing the influence of hybrid fibers in relation to concrete the most observed patterns, in which the cracking starts in the
with a type of fiber, it was registered that: region attached to the bar. This region extends along all the spec-
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Fernanda Martins Cavalcante de Melo, Anna Cristina Araújo de Jesus Cruz, Leonardo Dantas de Souza Netto et al. Construction and Building Materials 275 (2021) 122176

steel, polypropylene, and hybrid fibers (steel and polypropylene).

The models CEB/FIB [22] and Harajli et al. [23] consider the influ-
ence of the addition of fibers, indirectly, in the concrete compres-
sion strength value.
The models showed maximum bond stresses close to the bonds
of most experimental results, except for GSFC and GPFC specimens
with 10 mm and 16 mm bar diameter, respectively. As for the bond
stress-slip curve, the model by Huang et al. [12] was the closest to
the experimental curve. CEB/FIB [22] and Harajli et al. [23] models
present a demonstrated level after peak load, which was not
recorded in this work. In the study conducted by Campione et al.
[8] curves with the formation of such level were observed for spec-
imens with anchorage lengths 8 times the diameter, similar to the
study conducted by Ganesan et al. [13] for specimens with the
Fig. 13. The cracking patterns of the specimens. larger-diameter steel bar (20 mm), and some smaller diameters,
with the addition of polypropylene fibers.

imen towards the other end. A different pattern was observed for
4. Conclusions
GPFC specimens (Fig. 13(b)), where the cracking began on the
adhered surface. By crossing the element, there was a ramification.
The presented work deals with the experimental study of the
bond between steel bars and concrete with hybrid fibers. Such a
3.5. Experimental results versus analytical moels study was carried out by means of a comparative analysis of the
values of maximum and residual bond strength, corresponding slip
Fig. 14 shows the comparative results between theoretical mod- and the bond stress - slip curve, having as variables the diameter of
els and average curves of experimental tests for the bond stress - the bar, and the type of fiber hybridization.
slip curve. The models considered were developed by Huang Following are the main conclusions obtained in this research,
et al. [12] which is applied to concrete without fibers and with after analyzing the results:

Fig. 14. (a) Bond stress versus slip behavior of PSFC specimens, (a) / 10, (b) / 12.5 and (c) / 16. (b) Bond stress versus slip behavior of GSFC specimens, (a) / 10, (b) / 12.5 and
(c) / 16. (c) Bond stress versus slip behavior of GPFC specimens, (a) / 10, (b) / 12.5 and (c) / 16.

Fig. 14 (continued)

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Fernanda Martins Cavalcante de Melo, Anna Cristina Araújo de Jesus Cruz, Leonardo Dantas de Souza Netto et al. Construction and Building Materials 275 (2021) 122176

Fig. 14 (continued)

(1) the maximum bond strength of concretes with hybrid fibers Declaration of Competing Interest
was reduced in relation to concrete without fibers. Regard-
ing the individual fibers of the hybridization, the PSFC and The authors declare that they have no known competing finan-
GSFC had the maximum bond strength reduced. However, cial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared
for the GPFC there was an increase in relation to the PFC. to influence the work reported in this paper.
(2) the influence of the diameter of the bar was shown to be sig-
nificant in the bond behavior. For PSFC, the maximum bond
stress was reduced with increasing diameter. However, for References
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