Experimental characterization and predictive modeling of the flexural behavior of HPFRC/UHPFRC beams

The high manufacturing costs of UHPFRC applications together with time-consuming tests re- quested for the characterization and control quality restrict a wider application of this kind of smart material in the field of the rehabilitation of concrete structures. For this purpose, predictive strength models are useful to reduce this kind of and, at the same time, optimize the amount of compounds in the mixture according to the design requirements, for example by detecting the minimal dosage of fibers necessary to attain the design tensile strength. At the present, no predictive strength models suitable for HPFRC/UHPFRC are available. This work proposes a model able to predict the mechanical response of HPFRC/UHPFRC for any change of matrix and fiber properties. The reliability of the proposed model was confirmed from a large experimental investigation performed on smart concrete mixes.