Specimen size and shape effects on strength of concrete in the absence and presence of steel fibers

Abstract

In this research, the effects of size and shape on compressive and splitting tensile strength of fibrous and non-fibrous concrete specimens with different characteristic strength were investigated. With this aim, both fibrous and non-fibrous 10 different concrete mixtures with 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6 and 0. 7 Water/Cement ratio were prepared. In the fibrous mixture specimens, the total amount of steel fibers to 1% by total volume. In the entire specimens, 42.5 R type Portland cement were used as bonding elements while crushed lime stones in 3 sizes were added to the mixtures. Furthermore, to evaluate the influence of size and shapes over specimens' strength, for each concrete mixtures two 10 cm and 15 cm cubic specimen beside two 10x20 cm and 15x30 cm cylindrical specimens were prepared as well. The prepared specimens were subjected to compressive and splitting tensile tests. The results showed that, regardless of the fiber amount and specimens' shapes, the decrease in specimens' size resulted in higher strength. But in the high ratio of Water/Cement and fibrous mixtures, the mentioned behavior was not observed.