Title: Tensile Strength of Concrete Affected by Uniformly Distributed and Closely Spaced Short Lengths of Wire Reinforcement

Author(s): James P. Romualdi and James A. Mandel

Publication: Journal Proceedings

Volume: 61

Issue: 6

Appears on pages(s): 657-672

Keywords:

DOI: 10.14359/7801

Date: 6/1/1964

Abstract:
Fracture arrest concepts applied to closely spaced wire reinforced concrete have revealed that tensile stress is proportional to the inverse square root of wire spacing. Previous theoretical and experimental studies have demon-strated this for the case of continuous wires arranged parallel to one another and parallel to the direction of major principal stress. Similar results may be achieved with short lengths of wire in random orientation but nearly uni-form spacing throughout the concrete. A correction factor must be considered to account for the fact that some portion of the wires are not properly oriented for effective crack control. The crack arrest mechanism is demonstrated for beam and indirect tension (splitting) specimens.