Polyvinyl-alcohol fiber-reinforced concrete with coarse aggregate in beam elements

The use of fibers has been commonly considered in engineered cementitious composites, but their behavior with coarse aggregate in concrete has not been studied significantly, which is needed to meet structural performance objectives for design, such as ductility. This research analyzes the behavior of fiber-reinforced concrete with coarse aggregate with 0.62%, 1.23%, and 2% PVA (Polyvinyl-alcohol) content, varying the maximum aggregate size. Tensile (direct and indirect) and compressive concrete tests were performed. The PVA fiber addition in coarse aggregate concrete increased the ductility in compression, especially for the fiber with a larger aspect ratio, with a minor impact on strength. In addition, the tensile tests showed that the PVA fiber increased the tensile strength of concrete with coarse aggregate and, more significantly, improved the ductility. A selected mixture was used to build short and slender reinforced concrete beams to assess the behavior of structural members. PVA fiber addition in short beams changed the failure mode from shear to flexure, increasing the deflection capacity. On the other hand, the slender beam tests revealed negligible impact with the use of PVA.