Tensile behaviour of reinforced UHPFRC elements under serviceability conditions

Tension stiffening is an essential effect that influences the behaviour of concrete structures under serviceability conditions, mainly regarding crack control and deflection behaviour. Serviceability conditions can be studied experimentally by running so-called uniaxial tensile test. This paper reports extensive experimental research conducted to study reinforced Ultra-High Performance Fibre-Reinforced Concrete (R-UHPFRC) service testing. The parameters were reinforcement ratio steel fibre content in a programme including 36 specimens. Special testing equipment methodology measure post-cracking deformation R-UHPFRC ties developed, special attention was paid shrinkage effect. elements’ axial stiffness approximately parallel bare bar response after microcracking formation showing full tension-stiffening response. average capacity elements (tension response) achieved. Concrete’s contribution with properties deriving from four-point bending tests (4PBTs) on non-reinforced UHPFRC specimens also compared. results revealed slight increase concrete’s higher ratio. Moreover, than characteristic 4PBTs.