IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering

PAPER • OPEN ACCESS Related content

- The Effect of Different Shape and
Fiber Reinforced Concrete (FRC) for High Rise Perforated rHDPE in Concrete Structures
on Flexural Strength
Construction: Case Studies MY Yuhazri, KM Hafiz, YZA Myia et al.

- Study on Mechanical Properties of Hybrid

Fiber Reinforced Concrete
To cite this article: Koorosh Gharehbaghi and Rhea Chenery 2017 IOP Conf. Ser.: Mater. Sci. Eng. Dongqing He, Min Wu and Pengyu Jie
272 012034
- Hygrothermal effects on the flexural
strength of laminated composite cylindrical
panels
Trupti R Mahapatra and Subrata K Panda

View the article online for updates and enhancements.

This content was downloaded from IP address 202.94.163.4 on 14/11/2018 at 06:11

ICMMM 2017 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 272 (2017) 012034 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/272/1/012034
1234567890

Fiber Reinforced Concrete (FRC) for High Rise Construction:

Case Studies

KooroshGharehbaghi1 and Rhea Chenery2

1
RMIT University, Australia. MIEAust, MITE, MIIE, MCIAust, MATSE
2
RMIT University, Australia
E-mail: Koorosh.gharehbaghi@rmit.edu.au, Rhea.chenery@rmit.edu.au

Abstract. Due to its material element, Fiber Reinforced Concrete (FRC) could be stronger than
traditional Concrete. This is due to FRC internal material compounds and elements.
Furthermore, FRC can also significantly improve flexural strength when compared to
traditional Concrete. This improvement in flexural strength can be varied depending on the
actual fibers used. Although not new, FRC is gradually gaining popularity in the construction
industry, in particular for high rise structures. This is due to its flexural strength, especially for
high seismic zones, as it will provide a better solution then reinforced Concrete. The main aim
of this paper is to investigate the structural importance of FRC for the high rise construction.
Although there has been numerous studies and literature in justifying the FRC for general
construction; this paper will consider its use specifically for high rise construction. Moreover,
this paper will closely investigate eight case studies from Australian and United States as a part
of the FRC validation for high rise construction. In doing so, this paper will examine their
Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) to determine their overall structural performance.

1. Introduction
Generally, composite materials are made up of individual constituents, including matrix and
reinforcement [1]. Conversely, the matrix material surrounds and supports the reinforcement materials
by maintaining their relative positions; and the reinforcements pass on their special mechanical and
physical properties to enhance the matrix properties [2]. While the composite could be formed into
various shapes, the matrix can be introduced to the reinforcement, before or after the reinforcement
material has commenced being manufactured. [3].
Many commercially produced composites use polymer matrix material, often called a resin solution,
as their matrix. There are many different polymers available, depending on the starting raw ingredients.
The reinforcement materials are often fibers, but can also be commonly ground minerals. Figure 1
below shows fiber elements and the finished product.

Figure 1.From raw fiber to finished material [3].

Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence. Any further distribution
of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.
Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd 1
 ICMMM 2017 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 272 (2017) 012034 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/272/1/012034
1234567890

In construction and building structures, fiber reinforced modules are utilized as composite materials
[4]. Fiber reinforced materials are unconventional materials, which utilize substances such as Fiber as
bonding agents [1]. With every increase in material waste, the utilization of such bonding agents can
also further reduce the impact of recycling requirements [5]. More importantly, such innovative
materials, can withstand the required loads (stress and strain) as per more conventional methods of
material engineering [6].
FRC is an example of such innovative material engineering. Although this material has been used in
general construction for some time, its use for high rise construction is gradually increasing. In the
past, the reason for the reluctant use of FRC for high rise construction was due to industry's lack of
trust with its functionality [7]. As per norm, material functionality is the most important factor to
consider when a selection is being carried out [8]. One of the most significant facets of material
functionality is its ability to fit the purpose which it is required to do. As per traditional Reinforced
Concrete (RC), such materials are utilized as load bearing components of the structures. With the
development of the FRC, it is believed that this material cannot match the functionality of the RC.
However, many studies have been conducted to support the opposite to this view [8]. Furthermore,
where low load bearing materials are required, FRC can easily be employed [9].
The intriguing aspect of FRC is the actual type of fiber which is being used as there are many fibers to
select from, such as Polymer, Steel, Glass and even Natural fibers (vegetable origin) [10]. Figures 2a
and 2b below illustrate Steel and Glass fibers.

Figure 2A. Steel Fiber [9]. Figure 2B. Glass Fiber [4].

Moreover, another important aspect of FRC is its composition progression, including the interface and
bonding processes [9], both of which are discussed further in the following section.

2. FRC Composition Progression

As already discussed, Fiber Reinforced materials are unconventional materials, which utilize
substances such as Fiber as bonding agents. The properties of the Fiber-Concrete interface have a
critical effect on the properties of FRC [[4]. Also as previously conversed, a key aspect of FRC is its
composition progression, including its interface and bonding processes. While the bonding process
includes the actual bond strength, the interface comprises of the actual cross point between quantities
of fiber and concrete[11]. Table 1 (below) further depicts these two key processes.
TABLE 1.Interface and Bonding process of FRC
Processes Actions Effect
Fibers such as steel create specific zones and
Gradual mixing occurs: for example for
Interface boundaries where the actual interface is being
glass Fiber it takes up to 28 days
created
The joining action will take place and its curing
Three types of bonding process can
Bonding time depends on the Fiber type and the
occur: elastic, frictional and mechanical
environment

As it can be observed, both processes are complex and subjective to many factors. More importantly,
the bonding process can be achieved via three different processes [8]:

2
ICMMM 2017 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 272 (2017) 012034 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/272/1/012034
1234567890

 Elastic, that is the Fiber sticking to the matrix.

 Frictional, which is creating friction and also providing resistance to pull out force. Frictional
bonding controls the significant element of FRC stress-strain behavior, and highlights the
cracking value and its subsequent performance [9].
 Mechanical, which ensures the fibers and their composition correctly interlock with the matrix.
Of the three boding process, mechanical is the most complex and complicated procedure. As
Gharehbaghi (2015) correctly argued, crimping the fibers to provide the mechanical bonding
can effectively increase the average bond stress value by an approximate "factor of four".
Although there are many literatures discussing which method of bonding is more effective, as a
general rule, the performance of the bonding is rather dependent on the actual fiber type, for example,
steel, glass and so on [11]. Although the bonding process is a considerable issue to contemplate,
ultimately it is the fiber type which could determine the structural performance of the FRC [12].
Determination of the structural performance is a vital issue to contemplate when considering the use of
FRC for high rise construction.

3. FRC For High Rise

As outlined earlier, there is much literature regarding the use of the FRC for general construction.
However, this paper highlights the importance of FRC specifically for high rise Construction. Figures
3a and 3b below exemplify the assembly and erection of FRC for high rise construction.

Figure 3A. Retaining walls (for Figure 3B. Assembly of FRC

high rise) made from FRC. panels.

While figure 3a illustrates retaining walls made from FRC together with connection bars as additional
support; figure 3b demonstrates the assembly of FRC panels for high rise construction. Structural
Health Monitoring (SHM), which refers to the process of implementing a damage detection and
characterization strategy for buildings, is a key tool in determining the structural performance of the
FRC for high rise construction.

4. Structural Health Monitoring (SHM)

In determining damage detection and monitoring of structures important techniques such as Structural
Health Monitoring (SHM) are utilized [13]. The SHM technique ensures that effective monitoring of
structures is carried out due to long-term movement and degradation of their materials [14].
Commonly, the main causes of deterioration in structures such as buildings include wear and tear
together with additional movements [7]. For buildings in-particular the main deterioration includes
cracking due to significant structural loads consisting of Imposed and Seismic loads, together with the
Environmental loads (including Temperature changes, and so-on). Moreover, a period of dramatic
environmental changes, such as increased Seismic activities, could further complicate the SHM
process and analyses; and also reduce the Building's structural performance [11].
As Gharehbaghi (2017) correctly claimed, the traditional damage detection strategies consist of visual
inspection and localized non-destructive evaluation techniques, such as vibration and impact tests.
Moreover, the utilization of Young’s modulus can further assist with determining any structural

3
ICMMM 2017 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 272 (2017) 012034 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/272/1/012034
1234567890

deterioration and damage. An important aspect for FRC for high rise construction is to be sure that it
maintains adequate structural integrity. Correspondingly, using SHM to be sure that FRC adequately
meets the structural integrity is an important damage detection and monitoring consideration. In
addition, SHM improves the functionality of building together with timely warning of impending
failures, and thus will provide appropriate and cost-effective maintenance regimes [14]. To further
examine the importance of the FRC for high rise construction, a case study of eight buildings from
Australian and United States was conducted.

5. Case Studies
To systematically examine FRC for high rise construction, a case study consisting of a variety of high
rise buildings was carried out. The status of each structure and its fiber information was captured and
is shown in table 2 below.
TABLE 2. Comparison of Fiber for high rise
Fiber Fiber
Structure Fiber Bonding Process
Type Insertion
Building I
Steel Mechanical Internal Walls
(USA)
Building II Combination of Frictional and
Steel Internal Walls
(AUST) Mechanical
Building III Combination of Frictional and
Steel Internal Walls
(USA) Mechanical
Building IV External
Polymer Mechanical
(USA) Walls
Building V
Steel Mechanical Internal Walls
(AUST)
Building VI External
Polymer Mechanical
(USA) Walls
Building Combination of Frictional and
Steel Internal Walls
VII (USA) Mechanical
Building
External
VIII Polymer Mechanical
Walls
(AUST)
As it can be noticed, most of the buildings utilized Steel as the basis of their FRC. In addition, their
fiber bonding process generally consists of a combination of Frictional and Mechanical bonding. This
is perhaps due to these two processes being the most commonly used in the material engineering fields.
As a part of the Structural Health Monitoring and Modeling, SensorConnect provided all the necessary
and up-to-date data for the analysis purposes. Figure 4 provides a SensorConnect output for one of the
Buildings studied.

4
ICMMM 2017 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 272 (2017) 012034 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/272/1/012034
1234567890

Figure 4.SensorConnect output for one of the buildings (acceleration vs roll) .

In addition, to further examine these structures, each building’s structural performance was analyzed
using SensorConnect software, and their summary is shown in table 3 below.

TABLE 3. Comparison of SHM performance

Structure Age
Structure (years) Imposed Loads FRC Component SHM Performance (Overview)
[approximately]
Building I Intermediate
8 Non-load bearing Outstanding and exemplary
(USA) Seismic
Building II Due for a some minor upgrade
15 Standard Non-load bearing
(AUST) and improvements
Due for a minor upgrade and
Building III
21 Minor Seismic Non-load bearing improvements (some cracking
(USA)
due to movements)
Building IV Standard Limited load
9 Outstanding and exemplary
(USA) bearing
Building V Standard
11 Non-load bearing Satisfactory and on-going
(AUST)
Building VI Standard Minor structural failure
7 Non-load bearing
(USA) (displacement)
Building VII Due for a some minor upgrade
18 Minor Seismic Non-load bearing
(USA) and improvements
Building
Limited load The structure is to new to notice
VIII 2 Standard
bearing any wear and tear
(AUST)

While the Structure age is only an approximation, it is important to note that all the buildings were
Monocoque structures. This includes the involvement of additional structural reinforcement
especially for demanding areas such as Seismic areas. Generally, FRC was utilized for non-load
bearing structural components, especially for Seismic areas. As it can be noticed from table 3, the
majority of buildings involved the use of Steel as the basis of FRC. The SHM process involved
accessing the available and allowable database.

5
ICMMM 2017 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 272 (2017) 012034 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/272/1/012034
1234567890

As already discussed the SHM technique involved:

 Using SHM logs to collect the sensor data from all the buildings and then analyzing the data
on a high end platform.
 Accessing the maintenance and inspection logs to retrieve the periodic (depending on the
inspection regimes) visual inspection records.
 Accessing the dedicated data-acquisition SensorConnect Software for sensor configuration
and data collection.
As already discussed, as a part of the Structural Health Monitoring and Modeling process,
SensorConnect provided all the necessary and up-to-date data for analysis purposes. This analysis
further provided the information to be used for the SHM Performance column in the table 3 above.
The SHM performance includes information about the overall structural health together with the
performance of the buildings, including the observation of any maintenance and rehabilitation regimes
and schematics.

6. Summary
The general principle of composite materials is to engineer materials which are stronger, lighter, and
possibly less expensive when compared to traditional materials. In high rise construction, the
composite materials usually include, concrete, and FRC among other materials. Much research has
been conducted to demonstrate that due to its material elements, FRC is rather stronger than traditional
Concrete. Although not novel, FRC is steadily gaining recognition in the construction industry in-
particular for high rise structures such as buildings.
Fittingly, the main aim of this paper was to investigate the structural significance and functioning of
FRC for high rise construction. Although there has been abundant investigation into justifying the use
of FRC for broad-spectrum construction, this paper provided a number of case studies (from Australia
and United States) to further encourage its usage, explicitly for high rise structures.
Finally, this paper examined the case studies using SHM, to further emphasize their overall structural
integrity. Close examination of the case studies found that all the buildings were Monocoque
structures. This included the involvement of additional structural reinforcement particularly for
demanding areas such as Seismic areas. Moreover, FRC was thus utilized for non-load bearing
structural component, predominantly for Seismic areas.

7. References
[1] K. Gharehbaghi, Material Advancements for High-rise Construction (Proceedings of the 5th
International conference on the constructed environment, University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, 16-17 October 2014).
[2] R. C. Hibbeler and K. S. V. Sekar, Mechanics of materials (9th edition, worldwide adaptation
edition, SI edition, Singapore: Pearson Education South Asia Pty Ltd, 2014).
[3] M. S. Mamlouk and J.P. Zaniewski, Materials for Civil and Construction Engineers (3rd
edition, Prentice Hall, London, 2011).
[4] J. Gustavo, High Performance Fiber Reinforced Cement Composites 6 (International RILEM
conference on high performance fiber reinforced cement composition, 2012)
[5] F. Ching, Building structures Illustrated Patterns, Systems, and Design (2nd edition, Hoboken:
Wiley, 2013).
[6] S. Goodhew, Sustainable construction processes: a resource text (Hoboken: John Wiley and
Sons, 2016).
[7] K. Gharehbaghi, Advancements in Concrete Technology in Australia: Geo-Polymer Concrete
(International Journal of the Constructed Environment, Vol 7, issue 1, pp 19-29, 2015).
[8] J. Gere, and B. Goodno, Mechanics of materials (8th edition, Stamford, Conn.: Cengage
Learning, 2013).
[9] E. Cuerca, On Shear Bahavior of Structural Elements made of Steel Fiber Reinforced
Concrete (Springer: USA, 2014).

6
ICMMM 2017 IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering 272 (2017) 012034 doi:10.1088/1757-899X/272/1/012034
1234567890

[10] P. Domone and J. Illston, Construction Materials: Their nature and Behaviour (4th edition,
Spon Press, London, 2010).
[11] P. Xincheng, Super-high-strength high Performance Concrete (Hoboken: Taylor and Francis,
2012).
[12] A. Ramdasi and N. Tande, Lateral load analysis of High Rise Structures (International Journal
of Engineering Science and Technology, Vol 6, Iss 6, pp 268-275, 2014).
[13] H. Hugo, Performance Based Building Design 1 From Below Grade construction to Cavity
Walls (Hoboken: Wiley, 2012).
[14] K. Gharehbaghi, Modular high-rise construction as an alternative building system,
(international Journal of the Constructed Environment, Vol 8, Iss 3, pp 15-25, 2017).