Davoudi

ISSN: 2643-6876 DOI: 10.33552/CTCSE.2022.08.
000700
Current Trends in
Civil & Structural Engineering
Research Article Copyright © All rights are reserved Seyed Ali Mousavi Davoudi
Investigation of the Effect of Steel Fibers on the

Thermal Behavior of Fibrous Concrete under FEM
Finite Element Analysis
Seyed Ali Mousavi Davoudi*

Tabari Higher Education Center, Iran
*Corresponding author: Seyed Ali Mousavi Davoudi, Graduate of Master of Struc- Received Date: June 03, 2022
tures, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Tabari Higher Education Center, Iran. Published Date: June 22, 2022
Abstract
With the passage of time and the increase in world population, the need for progress in the field of construction, maintenance, and retrofitting
of existing structures and the use of new technologies is felt more than ever. Fiber concrete is a type of composite that increases tensile strength
by using reinforcing fibers inside the concrete mix. This composite composition has good integrity and cohesion and allows the use of concrete as
a formable material to produce high-strength curved surfaces. Fiber concrete also has a high energy absorption capacity and does not disintegrate
easily under impact loads. The historical evidence of this technology is the use of thatch in buildings to replace concrete fibers. Fiber concrete is
an advanced type of this technology in which new natural and synthetic fibers have replaced straw, and cement has replaced mud used in straw.
Fiber concrete has suitable properties such as high ductility, excellent strength, energy absorption, and cracking stability, which can be used for
many applications. Therefore, in this study, to investigate the effect of steel fiber percentage on the thermal behavior of fibrous concrete under finite
element analysis, four study samples with a fiber content of 0 to 1.5% were used. For numerical modeling, Abaqus finite element program was used.
From modeling and numerical analysis, it was concluded that the effect of steel fibers in the concrete mixing design reduces the heat caused by the
hydration of cement and improves the performance of concrete.
Keywords: Fiber concrete; Steel fibers; Numerical analysis; Finite elements
Introduction
in addition to ordinary concrete phases. The tensile and shear
In the manufacture of fiber concrete, composites are used as
strength of fibrous concrete is higher than ordinary concrete. [2]
a new technology in the construction industry. Concrete additives
In addition to being sufficient against static and dynamic loads, the
and reinforcing fibers are among the new materials that have a
final thickness of fibrous concrete creates very high reliability in
special place in construction. These materials improve the desired
execution. It is more important in underground structures that are
properties of concrete, such as its strength, and in some cases, by
exposed to more water, moisture, and corrosion. In addition, fiber-
reducing the weight of concrete, very light materials are offered to
reinforced concrete performs much better against dynamic loads
building engineers. [1] From 1960 onwards, a new type of concrete
such as earthquakes and shocks due to its good energy absorption
entered the industrial field. In this way, this type of concrete
properties. [3]. This major defect of concrete is practically solved
is used separately with random distribution as a new phase
This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License CTCSE.MS.ID.000700. Page 1 of 10
Current Trends in Civil & Structural Engineering Volume 8-Issue 5
by reinforcing it with steel rebars or reinforcement. But since recent decades, thin and relatively long strands are used that are
reinforcement is exclusively a small part of the section, it would not homogeneously scattered throughout the concrete volume. The use
be correct to assume that the concrete section is anisotropic and of such filaments in concrete and in general in cement mortars that
homogeneous. To create isotropic conditions and also to reduce the can be used can be fibers of glass, polyethylene, steel, asbestos, or
fragility and brittleness of the concrete body as much as possible in nylon [4] (Figure 1).
Figure 1: View of steel synthetic fibers [4].
In ancient times, fibers were used to strengthen brittle mortars. Work capacity in this text means the capacity of an object to convert
The most famous and popular one, which is available due to its external work into:
cheapness, is straw, which is used to strengthen bricks and thatch
1. Storage energy can be changed
mortars in coatings against cracking after drying. It is created, used,
and is currently the cheapest type of mortar in rural areas of the 2. Internal work is the formation of new cracks by the release and
country. The use of straw, especially ponytails or goat hair in ancient deformation of fibers or the production of heat.
Iranian buildings, especially domes, has a long and historical history The flexibility of fibrous concrete, like the properties of plastic
that shows the insight and knowledge of technicians about fibers. materials, ensures that fibrous concrete does not have a sudden
The use of steel fibers began in the middle of the last century and rupture. Because steel fibers are dispersed three-dimensionally,
the exact date of use of this method is not available, but different or rather multidimensionally, in the concrete body, forming a crack
people use different methods such as the use of wire pieces or that is usually expected to deform in various directions creates
metal cuts in concrete, the advantages of this method in their name bonding fibers and prevents the crack from spreading; Therefore,
Rasandehand [5]. Unlike ordinary concrete, these materials can fiber fibers actively play a role in limiting the width of cracks and
withstand considerable tensile stresses and strains at tensile loads thus increase the usability of concrete by forming many fine cracks
and can be used in the design. In these materials, cracking is out of [7,8].
the state of concentrated cracks and has appeared in the form of
multiple cracks. This behavior has significant effects on increasing Dehghani Conducted a study on steel fiber concretes. In
the ductility of members and more importantly on the reliability this study, they stated that in recent years, advances in concrete
of concrete structures. Relying on the strain capacity of these technology have resulted in the production of high-strength, high-
materials under pressure, the amount of enclosing reinforcement strength concrete. The two main characteristics of the cement body
in compressive areas can be reduced. Shear strength in these with a compressive strength of more than 150 MPa and having
concretes and their behavior is such that shear reinforcement can a ductile behavior due to the presence of fibers, make super-
be eliminated. Other advantages of using these materials include strong concrete stand out from other types. Concrete structures
ductility in seismic members, increasing the number of inelastic experience different temperature conditions during their lifetime
deformations, not reducing the resistance, and maintaining integrity and these cases have a direct effect on the mechanical properties
in these deformations, which leads to achieving damaging behavior. and durability of concrete. These effects can include changes in the
These materials have great potential for use in energy-absorbing temperature of the natural atmosphere or abnormal conditions
elements as a passive control in building seismic improvement [6]. such as fire. Therefore, it is very important to study the effects of
A clear advantage of fiber concrete is its high working capacity. temperature on concrete, especially high-strength concrete, which
Citation: Seyed Ali Mousavi Davoudi. Investigation of the Effect of Steel Fibers on the Thermal Behavior of Fibrous Concrete under Page 2 of 10
FEM Finite Element Analysis. Cur Trends Civil & Struct Eng. 8(5): 2022. CTCSE.MS.ID.000700. DOI: 10.33552/CTCSE.2022.08.000700.
is expected to have high strength. In this research, the thermal study introduces fiber concrete, the application of the study of the
properties of a type of super-capable concrete reinforced with effect of steel fibers on the physical and mechanical properties of
steel fibers have been investigated by calculating the coefficient fiber concrete [6].
of thermal expansion and high heat resistance. The coefficient of
Research Methods
thermal expansion of high-strength concrete is higher than that
of high-strength concrete and the values reported for ordinary To investigate the effect of steel fiber percentage and the effect
concrete. In the heat test in non-dried samples, the resistance of of fiber concrete heat hydration under FEM finite element analysis,
the samples decreased with increasing temperature to 400 °C. In in this study, 4 cubic samples with dimensions of 200mm × 100mm
dried samples, the sensitivity of superconducting concrete to heat with zero to 1.5% fiber percentage are used. It should be noted that
is higher than that of concrete [9]. Badra et al. [6] Conducted a study all samples by the program Abacus will be modeled and analyzed.
on steel fiber concretes to investigate the effect of steel fibers on Table 1 presents the specifications of the tested models and the
the physical and mechanical properties of fiber concrete. Fiber effective parameters (Table 1).
concrete is a type of concrete that is made of fibers and uses cement, Table 1: Details of study samples.
water, aggregates, and additives. Together with the fibers on the
Percentage of Steel Fibers to the
physical and mechanical properties of the fiber concrete are mixed, Model Size (mm)
Weight of Cement
including strength. Percentage and ratio of length to the diameter of
A 200 × 100 0%
steel fibers and strength factor of fiber concrete, flexural strength,
B 0.50%
tensile strength, shear strength, compressive strength, dynamic
C 1%
strength, fatigue strength, torsional strength, crack resistance,
D 1.50%
creep, fiber rot and rust, thermal conductivity, Abrasion resistance
and frictional and sliding resistance are effective. The flexibility of In this research, concrete with a compressive strength of 30
fibrous concrete, like the properties of plastic materials, ensures MPa has been used, whose behavior follows the properties of elastic
that fibrous concrete does not have a sudden rupture and can be and plastic. Figure 2 shows the stress-strain diagram of concrete
used as an alternative to conventional reinforced concrete. This (Figure 2, Table 2).
Figure 2: Stress-strain diagram of concrete.
Table 2: Detail of concrete.
ρ (kg/cm3) ʋ E(Gpa) CU Pa ɛ

2450 0.35 33 41.2 0.004
Tables 3 & 4 provide the mechanical and physical characteristics of the steel fibers used in concrete, including diameter and length
(Tables 3 & 4).
Table 3: Detail of steel fibers.
ρ (kg/cm3) tPa Ef (GPa)

2485 2788 200
Table 4: Detail of diameter and length of steel fibers.
df (mm) Lf (mm) Aspect Ratio (Lf / df )

0.2 13 65
Modeling Process has been used. Also, to define the connection and constraints of
the surface status of all pages that are in contact with each other,
The solid element was used to model the concrete and the wire
the contact constraint was used as a level to level. For connection
element was used to model the steel fibers. Also, the mechanical
between concrete and steel fibers inside the concrete, the contact
properties of steel fibers with a tensile strength of 2788 MPa have
type of embedded region type is used (Figure 3).
been used, and concrete with a compressive strength of 30 MPa
Figure 3: View of the model.
To perform thermal analysis by assembling the model in laboratory studies of Sarabi et al. [8] were used. It is about 12.5%,
the Assembly environment, follow the work in the Abaqus Step Figure 5 shows the time-temperature hydration validation diagram
module. Due to the nature of the problem, a heat transfer solvent is of laboratory and numerical samples (Figure 5).
selected for the analysis of its finite components, and the maximum
Model networking According to the type of sensitivity analysis,
temperature change in each step is considered to be 10 units
the size of the allocated networks was considered to be 50 mm,
(Figure 4).
Figure 6 shows the networking method (Figure 6).
For the accuracy of the software sample of the Abaqus program,
Figure 4: View of the selection of thermal analysis solver.
Figure 5: Numerical and Experimental sample validation diagram.
Figure 6: Model mesh.
Analysis Results analytical parameters can be seen. In the following, the results will
be compared by examining the hydration-day temperature diagram
After performing thermal analysis of model, A without
of the samples. After performing finite element analysis, the amount
fibers, model B with 0.5% fiber percentage, model C with 1%
of hydration heat generated in concrete for different percentages of
fiber percentage, and model D with 1.5% fiber percentage was
fibers is presented (Figures 7-10).
performed. In the isolation environment, diagrams of different
Figure 6: Heat distributed in concrete (%0 fibers).
Figure 7: Heat distributed in concrete (%0.5 fibers).
Figure 9: Heat distributed in concrete (%1 fibers).
Analysis results at a depth of 5 cm of 0.5% in the number of fibers from sample B compared to sample
C, it was observed that the heat of hydration decreased by 12.3% at
By comparing this diagram of hydration temperature-study
a depth of 5 cm, also by comparing sample B And D was observed
time A, B, C, and D is observed at a depth of 5 cm, in the sample
with an increase of 0.5% in the number of fibers witnessed a
without fibers, the hydration temperature is much higher than in
decrease in hydration temperature of 14.5% at a depth of 5 cm
the samples with fibers, also by comparing the sample B (fibers
(Figure 11).
0.5%) and sample C (1% fiber) was observed that with an increase
Figure 11: Hydration heat -day diagram (15 cm depth).
Analysis results at a depth of 10 cm which with a 0.5% increase in the number of fibers from sample
B to sample C is observed that the heat of hydration is reduced by
By comparing the hydration-temperature diagram of study
9.5% at a depth of 10 cm, also with Comparison of samples B and D
samples A, B, C, and D at a depth of 10 cm, it is observed that in
(1.5% fibers) was observed by increasing the number of fibers by
the sample without fibers, the percentage of hydration heat is much
75%, causing a decrease in hydration temperature to 17.37% at a
higher than in the samples with fibers, ie, on average, compared with
depth of 10 cm (Figure 12).
sample B ( Fibers 0.5%) and sample C (1% fibers) are observed,
Analysis results at a depth of 20 cm Fibers 0.5%) and sample C (1% fibers) were observed that with an
increase of 0.5% in the number of fibers from sample B to sample
By comparing the hydration-temperature diagram of the study
C, it is observed that the heat of hydration decreased by 11.5%, also
sample A, B, C, and D at a depth of 20 cm, it is observed that in the
by comparing sample B And D (1.5% fibers) was observed, with an
fiber-free sample, the percentage of hydration heat is much higher
increase of 0.5% in the number of fibers, the hydration temperature
than the fiber sample, ie, in average, compared with sample B (
decreased by 16.52% (Figure 13).
Conclusion 1. Adding steel fibers reduces the hydration temperature so that

by increasing the number of fibers by 0.5% in each step, the
In this study, in order to investigate the effect of steel fiber
hydration heat will decrease by an average of 13.45%.
percentage on the mechanical behavior of fiber concrete under
finite element analysis, 4 cubic samples with dimensions of 200 2. With increasing depth, the amount of hydration heat generated
mm × 200 mm with a fiber content of zero to 1.5% were used. After in the samples increases. On average, with an increase of 5 cm
numerical analysis, the following results were obtained: in each stage, the amount of hydration temperature increased
by about 12.34% on average.
3. The highest hydration temperature for the fiber-free sample a temperature of 20 °C. Comparing the above diagram, it
occurred at a depth of 5 cm on the third day at 50.87 °C, also the was observed that the percentage difference between the
lowest temperature at a depth of 5 cm for the fiber-free sample maximum and minimum heat in the concrete sample was 54%.
on the 28th day with a temperature of / 45. 23 degrees Celsius
10. The highest hydration temperature for the sample with (1%
occurred. Comparing the above diagram, it was observed
fibers) at a depth of 10 cm occurred on the eleventh day at
that the percentage difference between the maximum and
41.69 °C, also the lowest temperature at a depth of 10 cm with
minimum heat in the concrete sample was 46%.
(1% fibers) occurred on the 28th day with The temperature
4. The highest hydration temperature for the fiber-free sample at occurred at 19.72 °C. Comparing the above diagram, it was
a depth of 10 cm occurred on the tenth day at 62.43 °C, and also observed that the percentage difference between the maximum
the lowest temperature at a depth of 10 cm for the fiber-free and minimum heat in the concrete sample was 46.32%.
sample on the 28th day with a temperature of 32.74 °C. Celsius
occurred. Comparing the above diagram, it was observed
fibers) at a depth of 20 cm occurred on the eighth day at 50.37
°C, also the lowest temperature at a depth of 20 cm with (1%
minimum heat in the concrete sample was 51%.
fibers) occurred on the 28th day Occurred with a temperature
5. The highest hydration temperature for the fiber-free sample of 23.46 °C. Comparing the above diagram, it was observed
occurred at a depth of 20 cm, such as on the eighth day with that the percentage difference between the maximum and
76.96 °C, and also the lowest temperature at a depth of 20 cm minimum heat in the concrete sample was 46.98%.
for the fiber-free sample on the 28th day with a temperature
12. The highest hydration temperature for the sample with (1.5%
of 35.96 °C. Celsius occurred. Comparing the above diagram,
it was observed that the percentage difference between the
°C, also the lowest temperature at a depth of 20 cm with (1.5%
maximum and minimum heat in the concrete sample was
fibers) occurred on the 25th day with a temperature of 8.67
46.36%.
°C. Comparing the above diagram, it was observed that the
6. The highest hydration temperature for the sample with (5% percentage difference between the maximum and minimum
fibers) at a depth of 5 cm occurred on the eighth day at 42.76 heat in the concrete sample was 32.57%.
°C, also the lowest temperature at a depth of 5 cm with (5%
fibers) occurred on the 28th day Occurred with a temperature
fibers) at a depth of 10 cm occurred on the fifth day at 23.86
of 20.63 °C. Comparing the above diagram, it was observed
°C, as well as the lowest temperature at a depth of 10 cm with
(1.5% fibers) on the 28th day occurred with a temperature of
minimum heat in the concrete sample was 47.85%.
17.68 degrees Celsius. Comparing the above diagram, it was
7. The highest hydration temperature for the sample with (5% observed that the percentage difference between the maximum
fibers) at a depth of 10 cm occurred on the seventh day at and minimum heat in the concrete sample was 53.89%.
51.37 °C, also the lowest temperature at a depth of 10 cm with
occurred at 24.37 °C. Comparing the above diagram, it was
°C, also the lowest temperature at a depth of 20 cm with (1.5%
observed that the percentage difference between the maximum
fibers) occurred on the 28th day with a temperature of 19.26
and minimum heat in the concrete sample was 47.42%.
°C. Comparing the above diagram, it was observed that the
8. The highest hydration temperature for the sample with (5% percentage difference between the maximum and minimum
fibers) at a depth of 20 cm occurred on the ninth day at 59.37 heat in the concrete sample was 49.79%.
°C, also the lowest temperature at a depth of 20 cm with
Acknowledgment
occurred at 29.54 °C. Comparing the above diagram, it was None.
observed that the percentage difference between the maximum
Conflict of Interest
and minimum heat in the concrete sample was 49.75%.
No conflict of interest.
fibers) at a depth of 5 cm occurred on the thirteenth day at References
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ISSN: 2643-6876 DOI: 10.33552/CTCSE.2022.08.

Investigation of the Effect of Steel Fibers on the

Seyed Ali Mousavi Davoudi*

Keywords: Fiber concrete; Steel fibers; Numerical analysis; Finite elements

Figure 1: View of steel synthetic fibers [4].

Figure 2: Stress-strain diagram of concrete.

Table 2: Detail of concrete.

ρ (kg/cm3) ʋ E(Gpa) CU Pa ɛ

ρ (kg/cm3) tPa Ef (GPa)

Table 4: Detail of diameter and length of steel fibers.

df (mm) Lf (mm) Aspect Ratio (Lf / df )

Figure 3: View of the model.

Figure 4: View of the selection of thermal analysis solver.

Figure 5: Numerical and Experimental sample validation diagram.

Figure 6: Model mesh.

Figure 6: Heat distributed in concrete (%0 fibers).

Figure 7: Heat distributed in concrete (%0.5 fibers).

Figure 8: Heat distributed in concrete (%0.5 fibers).

Figure 9: Heat distributed in concrete (%1 fibers).

Figure 10: Heat distributed in concrete (%1.5 fibers).

Figure 11: Hydration heat -day diagram (15 cm depth).

Figure 12: Hydration heat -day diagram (10 cm depth).

Figure 12: Hydration heat -day diagram (20 cm depth).

Conclusion 1. Adding steel fibers reduces the hydration temperature so that

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