ABSTRACT
The intent of this study was to characterize and compare the post-crack flexural creep behavior of steel and synthetic Fiber Reinforced Concrete (FRC). One hooked-end steel fiber (0.3% vol. (24 kg/m3) and one self-fibrillating monofilament synthetic fiber (0.5% vol. (4.6kg/m3)) were selected for the study. Precracked 100 × 100 × 350 mm beams were statically loaded in third-point flexure at various percentages of the Average Residual Strength (ARS), as determined using ASTM Cl399. The relative performance of pre-cracked steel and synthetic FRC beam specimens was determined for moderate loading levels (20, 40 and 60% ARS) and ambient conditions, and under sustained loading for up to one year. Under moderate loading conditions, the cracked synthetic FRC specimens showed to be no more likely to fail due to flexural creep than the cracked steel FRC specimens. It was found that at a similar loading level, cracked SnFRC can be expected to experience creep coefficients on the order of twice those of cracked SFRC. It must be kept in mind that this does not necessarily imply that SnFRC will experience twice the creep deflection as SFRC. At one year, both the steel and synthetic FRC specimens were found to satisfy serviceability requirements in most reinforced concrete structural design standards.
