Experimental Investigation of Shear Behavior of Two-Span Fiber Reinforced Concrete Beams

Experimental tests were carried out to assess the failure model of steel and basalt fiber reinforced concrete two-span beams. Experimental research was focused on observing the changes in behavior of tested elements in dependence on the ratio of shear reinforcement and type of fiber. The beams had varied stirrup spacing. The steel fiber content was 78.5 kg/m³ (1.0% by vol.) and basalt fiber content was 5.0 kg/m³ (0.19% by vol.). Concrete beams without fibers were also examined. Two-span beams with a cross-section of 120×300 mm and a length of 4150 mm were loaded in a five-point bending test. Shear or flexural capacity of tested members was recorded. The effectiveness of both sorts of fibers as shear reinforcement was assessed and the differences were discussed. It was shown that fibers control the cracking process and the values of deflections and strains. Fibers clearly enhance the shear capacity of reinforced concrete beams.