Flexural behaviour of high strength concrete composite incorporating long hooked-end steel fibres

Herein, the flexural behaviour of high strength cementitious composites containing fly ash (FA) and manufactured sand is investigated. Long hooked-end steel fibres have been added to the mix design and compressive strength and flexural strength tests have been performed at the age of 7, 28 and 56 days and 14, 28 and 56 days respectively. The results of this engineered cementitious material have then been compared to plain concrete and also a reference cementitious composite containing Fly ash (FA). The flexural test is conducted under a 4 point bend test following fibre reinforced concrete relevant standards. Results indicate that adding the long hooked-end steel fibre to the cementitious mix demonstrates strain hardening and multiple cracking phenomenons. This characteristic categorizes the mix as high flexural strength cementitious composite demonstrating acceptable post peak behaviour. Concrete's ability to withstand compressive stresses is significantly higher than its ability to hold tensile strength, thus the addition of steel bars into concrete are used to reinforce the concrete in its tensile zone. Due to the compressive strength results gathered in this research, on steel fibre modified cementisius composite, which also reveal comparable measures to the control concrete and reference cementitious composite, the product of this research can be used as a multipurpose high strength concrete composite.