ALGORITHMS FOR SPATIAL

DISTRIBUTION OF FIBERS AND ITS

INFLUENCE ON THE MECHANICAL
BEHAVIOR OF CONCRETE MATRIX
COMPOSITES
Ing. Maria Edith Vzquez Arvizu.

Dr. Jaime Moises Horta Rangel.

Facultad de Ingeniera.
Universidad Autnoma de Quertaro.
Quertaro, Qro.

Facultad de Ingeniera.
Universidad Autnoma de Quertaro.
Quertaro, Qro.

Abstract This paper presents a review of the methods and

algorithms used to generate a matrix composite reinforced
concrete and fibers, which can be made of steel, polymers or
natural fibers. Proper mixing or distribution of fibers
substantially affects the mechanical behavior of the composite. At
present such compounds based fibers are used in floor slabs,
walls, and to a lesser extent in floor systems. The outline of a
proposed numerical-computational process that allows spatial
generation of fibers based on APDL programming codes running
on the Ansys program and is based on the spatial distribution of
volumetric finite elements generated by Ansys is also shown in
pre-processing phase. This procedure will be useful to propose a
comprehensive solution to the stress-strain behavior of the
composite.
Keywordscomposite materials, random fiber distribution,
computer modeling, mechanical behavior.

I. INTRODUCTION.
The reinforced concrete structures are very effective for
building because of its versatility and almost no maintenance,
making it undoubtedly the most widely used building material
today. Concrete has the ability to not only be reinforced with
steel rods if the use of polymer fibers that help to 6% increase
in compression strength, its toughness, the flexural strength
and impact resistance ACI Code 544 [1].
Undoubtedly the concrete has become one of the great
alternatives for infrastructure development worldwide, this is
designed to withstand external loads caused by stress and strain
with different characteristics, linked to the type of building
design. These designs are based on rules and regulations of
construction that has proved adequate for most structures.
However when the reinforcement for concrete not only
conventional steel rod and an additional reinforcement is used,
such as fibers, necessary to consider its contribution.
There are different sources that we have designs for
reinforced concrete structures with polymer fibers. In these

addiction fiber it has a direct impact on the cracking process,

since a significant increase is obtained in the voltage
compression structure
The addition of short fibers randomly distributed
throughout a cement matrix can significantly improve the
fracture properties of these compounds fiber reinforced cement
(FRCC). For moderate percentages of fiber used in many
commercial mixtures (0.5-2% by volume), the uniaxial tensile
and compressive strengths are increased only a relatively small
amount, but the overall hardness, adsorption energy and crack
width control features that can be dramatically improved by the
introduction of these fibers [2].
In the study of concrete - fiber composite, must be a
particular study in the random distribution of the fibers within
the matrix specific fibers, since this distribution depends on the
behavior of our element therefore is to propose a new
analytical model spatial prediction of fibers that allows to study
the behavior of an element and its future implementation.
II. TESTING OF COMPOSITE FIBER CONCRETE.
A. Material and concrete mixes used.
Aggregates used meet Mexican Standard NMX-C486ONNCCE-2014, Construction Industry Mortar structurally
Masonry - use specifications and test methods, which defines
the following [3]:

Aggregates (sand): These are materials stone nature

which may come from mines, banks extraction,
crushing of concrete elements or as a result of an
industrial process which, when mixed with
hardening, allow preparation of mortars.
Hydraulic cement. Hydraulic binder produced by
pulverizing clinker and calcium sulfate in some
forms.

Mortar. Material formed by mixing one or more

cementing, sand, water and optionally additives or
additions finely pulverized (limestone, clay,
pozzolan, granulated blast furnace slag, fly ash ) has
the ability to set both in the air as in water and form a
hardened mass which acquires strength with time to a
peak [3].

B. Mixture proportions.
The dosage will be held from the Complementary
Technical Norms of the Federal District, for bikers in structural
elements with a proportioning 1 cement: sand 2.5, as shown in
Table 1.
Regarding the percentage of fibers to be used it is
determined from the weight of the cement-sand aggregates.
Polyethylene fibers were used with a length of 25 mm and
1mm thick on average [4].
TABLE I.

PROPORTIONING BY VOLUME RECOMMENDED FOR

MORTAR STRUCTYRAL ELEMENTS.

Proporcionamientos.
Parts
bricklaying
cement.

Parts of
hydrated
lime.

---

0 a 1/4

0 a 1/2

---

---

1/4 a 1/2

1/2 a 1

---

---

1/2 a 1
1/4

II

III

Parts
sand.

Less than 2.25 and not more than 3

times the amount by volume of
cementations.

Type of
mortar.

Parts of
hydraulic
cement
.

Nominal
compressi
ve
strength f
, Mpa
(kg/cm2)

12.5
(125)

The total length of the sample shall be a minimum of 1 inch

(25mm) longer than the size of the specimen. The nominal
width of the sample is 2 inches (50mm) as shown in Fig.1"
Fig. 1. Dimensions of the beam relative to the ASTM C 1018-97

D. Test specimens of mortar.

Once cast and forged beams, the pure bending resistance of
concrete is determined as stable Standard C78-00 Flexural
Strength of Concrete (Using Simple Beam With Third- Point
Loading) using a testing machine, the procedure specimens
consists of turning on one side with respect to the molding
position. It focuses on the support blocks; these in turn must be
centered with respect to the applied force. The load applying
block is brought into contact with the specimen surface thirdpoint between the supports. It must have full contact between
the load application and the supporting blocks with the
specimen surface. It must be sanded surfaces of the specimen
or leather straps used if separation line contact between them
and the blocks is greater than 0.039 inches. It is recommended
that sanding the side surfaces of the specimens is minimal,
because you can change the physical characteristics of the
same and therefore affect the results. Also, you should use
leather straps only when the surfaces of the specimens in
contact with blocks of load application, deviate from a plane by
no more than 0.196 inches [3].

7.5 (75)

4.0 (40)

The volume of sand will be measured in loose condition.

The mixture is held in a conventional concrete mixer with

capacity of 90 liters. Sand and water absorption homogenizers
first, then the cement and water mixed reaction for a few
minutes will be added. The water content is determined by
fluidity test.
C. Specimens.
The specimens were prepared under Rule C1018 - 97
Standard Test Method for Flexural Toughness and FirstCrack Strength of Fiber- Reinforced Concrete (using Beam
With Third - Point Loading) [5].
Where established using a simple beam thickness of
1 inch or less. The test sample should have a ratio of largest
span length depending on the thickness of the sample, between
16 to 1 and 30 to 1.

Fig. 2. Testing machine according to ASTM C 78-00

The load application should be applied at a uniform rate

such that the increased effort extreme fiber does not exceed
980 kPa / min (10 kgf / cm2 per min), allowing higher speeds
before 50% of the estimated load rupture. The "Fig." 2. Shows
a schematic view of a testing machine for testing flexural
beams [6].

III. SPECIFIC ANALYTICAL METHODS FIBER

Since the nineties, we have studied the application of
different fibers in concrete, even the American Concrete
Institute (ACI) has created standards for synthetic or natural
and some researchers have created a series of models fibers, in
order to predict the behavior of composite concrete fibers
among them are:
A. Model Imam.
This model predicts the ultimate shear strength of beams of
fiber-reinforced concrete without stirrups, is based on the form
by Bazant and Sun (1), (2), (3) and separates the contribution
of the concrete abutments and fibers in three terms [7].
= 0.6 3 [ + 275
(
=1+

5.08 1/2
)

(2)

1/2

1+
(
)
[ 25

= = (1 + 4)
=

(1)

( )

()

(4)

(7)

Where: [d] = Discontinuity surface, [(.)e] = Belonging to

the element, [fw] = Vector force at the regular nodes, [] =
body, [Nw] = enhanced shape function matrix, [T] =
discontinuity constitutive matrix, [ ] = body forces vector,
[] =natural force vector.
C. Voronoi.
It describes a general approach to modeling short fiber
reinforced cement-fiber composites, using crystals Boronoi,
wherein each fiber is modeled as a discrete entity, allowing
direct contacts between the micromechanical fiber - matrix and
performance material compound. The method is
computationally efficient, since no additional degrees of
freedom are required for modeling the fibers
In this method the matrix material is divided into a set of
convex polygons having random geometry Fig. 3". Voronoi
constructions
are
used
here.
Each polygon is considered as a rigid particle having two
degrees of freedom : translation and rotation defined at the
centroid of the particles, the particles are interconnected along
their edges by flexible interfaces, or sets equivalent springs,
whose stiffness are determined for approximating the elastic
properties of the overall series continues .

Finally, the contribution of the stirrups is calculated by the

following formula (5) in addition to (1):
= (

) 0.9

(5)

Where: [a] = Clear shear (mm), [b] = beam width (mm),

[d] = effective depth of the beam (mm) [da] = maximum size
of coarse aggregate (mm), [df [] = coefficient of efficiency. (1
for fiber hook and 0.5 for straight fibers) [fcm] = compressive
strength of fiber-reinforced concrete. (N / mm2), [fymw]=
Effort in stirrups (mm2), [s] = Distance between the brackets
(mm ), [As] = longitudinal reinforcement area (mm2) [Asw] =
Area of the stirrups (mm2), [Df ] = diameter of the fiber (mm)
[F] = Factor of the contribution of the fibers, [Lf] = fiber
length (mm) [Vf] = volume fraction of fibers, [Vw] = shear
strength provided by the stirrups ( kN) [Vu] = last a theoretical
shear strength (kN) [] = ratio of longitudinal stress [] =
ratio of longitudinal effort and the effort of the fibers, [] =
Factor of effect size .
B. Model de C. Octavio, D. Diaz-da- Costa .
Raises two equations (6) and (7) which bypasses the weight
of the fiber and calculates the external forces, according to a
vector containing additional degrees of freedom due to a
discontinuity in the given element, also proposes degrees of
freedom they act as a transmission medium opening
discontinuity regular finite element nodes [2].

Fig. 3 Representation discrete element matrix material: (a)

Voronoi polygon mesh; (B) dual lattice representation geometry - Random
beam elements [8].

The system discrete element is actually a random lattice

network geometry beam elements. That is, each set of two
particles acts as a kind of beam element connecting the
centroids of particles [9].
D. Horta Rangel.
They present a mathematical model is based on an analysis
deformation of particular fiber composite (8) in a quasidynamic analysis, which requires an iterative loadingunloading procedure for determining the end performance of
the material [10].
([] [][]) = [] {} + {}

(8)

(6)

where [B] = matrix of shape function derivatives, [D] =

matrix of elastic constants, [N] = shape function matrix,

[U] = displacement vector, [b] = vector of body forces,

[P] = vector of punctual external loads. The first integral
involves the energy deformation of the composite under loads
[2].
E. Jean LouisTaihan, Pierre Rossi, Dominic DaviauDesnoyer.
His numerical model is based on three physical evidences:

Concrete is a heterogeneous material in which the

heterogeneities can be modelled through a random
spatial distribution of mechanical properties
considered as dominant in the cracking process,
namely the Youngs modulus and the tensile strength.
Scale effects of concrete cracking (experimentally
proved) are taken into account by the fact that the
mechanical properties of the material depend on the
size of the mesh elements chosen for the finite
element analysis.
Cracking is explicitly treated through the creation of
random kinematic discontinuities, which provides
access to quantitative information on the cracking
state (number of cracks, opening and spacing).
Numerically speaking, these cracks are represented
by interface elements.

The criterion for the crack creation is very simple: the

interface element opens when the normal tensile stress at the
center of the interface element reaches a critical value
(probabilized through a Weibull distribution function. This
means that the rigidity of the interface element becomes equal
to zero (perfect brittle behavior). As mentioned above, the
value of this critical value depends on the total volume of the
two volumetric elements interfaced by the considered interface
element [11]. The criterion of crack creation is schematically
presented in Fig. 4.

IV. METHODOLOGY.
As mentioned different studies have been developed on the
composite fiber - concrete, some of these studies are based on
the identification of failure mechanisms that identify fractures
and evolution while other procedures are based on
micromechanical models. Forces the fiber-matrix interface is
of great importance for the understanding of the behavior of all
of the compound [10].
Taken into account the above references, it is proposed a
new analytical procedure for the spatial location (Random) of
fibers in a composite material, posing a volumetric model
based on finite element tetrahedral type for the matrix body
being studied.
Also a mesh is developed throughout the body to study
using finite element tetrahedral types, taking as limit its volume
with support from ANSYS program, taking very careful in
thickness, and to consider a minimum of three fibers in each
element thus the number of nodes and generated element is
obtained
Based on the resulting discrete conformation analysis
algorithm is developed, this is intended to generate the fibrous
structure of the compound reticular. For mesh generation
cylindrical coordinate system is placed in one of the nodes
randomly and considering the fiber length, the following
coordinate system is placed, obtaining two points, thereby
generating the fibrous matrix. This is repeated again and again
randomly selecting nodes from 1 to the total number of nodes
that were generated, with support from ANSYS. At the end the
actual percentage of fibers that has been generated within the
element, which must not be very physically distant from the
proposed initially for the composite fiber-concrete is
calculated.
Finally the element created in the spatial distribution
(random) fiber is analyzed. Once the element with the required
percentage of fibers created another subroutine is performed in
the ANSYS program analyzing the particular compound fibers under bending loads, with the data the initial charge, last
and the intervals at which the load increases are applied,
enabling review efforts and displacements of the compound.
The actual percentage of fibers that has been generated within
the element, which must not be very far from the beginning
proposed to be calculated
V. POSSIBLE OUTCOMES AND CONTRIBUTIONS.
The results obtained by the spatial convolution algorithm
fiber, were employed for the analysis of structural elements
reinforced polymeric fibers, allowing and builders, have a
method of mechanical prediction, the model relates to the
performance of the composite allow simulating the behavior
of the structure, through the finite element solution for
predicting stress-strain behavior of the compound.

Fig. 4 Criterion of crack creation in the matrix (discrete

probabilistic cracking).

ACKNOELEDGMENT.

[7]

To The Universidad Autonoma de Quertaro and

CONACYT for their valuable guidance and support in the
development of this project.

[8]

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[9]
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[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

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[11]

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