Crack Creep and Joint Performance Behavior of Fiber Reinforced Concrete

Abstract

The joint load transfer of concrete slabs often determines the longevity of concrete pavements. Currently, structural synthetic fibers are used to improve joint load transfer. The contribution of these fibers, however, changes with the age and season because of their aging and crack creep during the winter. Our study characterized the influence of crack creep of fiber reinforced concrete on the joint performance in a simulated test setup using beam specimens. Precracked beams were exposed to tension, simulating the forces experienced by fibers due to contraction of pavement slabs during winter that create crack creep, and subsequently testing for the joint performance. Joint performance results from these beams with creeped cracks were compared to the results from the beams that were not exposed to crack creep. Results suggest that crack creep of fiber reinforced concrete influences joint performance. The results of this study will help characterize the drop in joint performance expected to occur as a result of temperature-induced tensile stresses in fiber reinforced concrete pavements.