Post-peak flexural behavior of macro synthetic fiber reinforced concrete

![CDATA[The addition of fibers to concrete is well known for enhancing the tensile and ductility performances through an effective fiber network intersecting the propagation of cracks. However, the class, quantity and properties of the individual fibers fundamentally govern the flexural behavior, resulting in either post-cracking softening or hardening response. Moreover, previous studies have shown that while steel and synthetic fibers may provide comparable improvement of the concrete’s mechanical properties, their respective involvement occurs at different crack widths to perform best in particular applications. In this paper, more consideration is given to macro synthetic fibers that are commonly preferred over steel fibers because of their corrosion resistance and sustainable sourcing pathway (i.e., recycled waste plastics). Thus, this work investigates the post-peak flexural behavior of macro synthetic fiber reinforced concrete (MSFRC) using two fiber types at different volume dosages. Accordingly, the novelty of this paper is to identify the critical crack states of each fiber type and dosages that provide the potential engineering benefits of a pioneering design and application.]]