Beams in a typical steel framed floor design are assumed to have pinned supports for purposes of design. In reality, the connections between the beams and girders in a steel framed floor system are not pinned. The design bending moments and deflections of the attached beam could be reduced if the true rotational restraint provided by the beam-girder connections could be included in the design. The connection rotational restraint is characterized by the moment-rotation behavior. Consequently, a method for approximating the moment-rotation behavior of the beam-girder connection is required before the beneficial effects of the true connection rotational restraint can be considered in design. Experimental and analytical research on the moment-rotation behavior of a specific type of beam-girder connection is presented in this dissertation. The primary objective of this research is to develop a component model of the connection that can be used to approximate the moment-rotation behavior. The component model is based on the hypothesis that the connection behavior can be modeled as a combination of the connection component behaviors. The connection components are the fundamental pieces of the connection such as bolts, shear studs, and welds. In general, the component model can be very computationally intensive. Consequently, a secondary objective of this research is to develop a connection model that is simpler to use. Behavior models for each of the connection components are presented and/or developed. These models are derived from a combination of existing literature, experimental and analytical research, and basic mechanics. Next, a method of combining the component behaviors into a connection model that can be used to approximate the moment-rotation behavior is developed. Results from experimental research on the moment-rotation behavior of the beam-girder connection are then used to verify the model. Finally, a simplified model of the beam-girder connection is developed. This model is based on the same hypothesis as the component model; however, through a combination of assumptions, simplifications, and the results of parametric studies the simplified model becomes far less computationally intensive than the full component model. / Ph. D.

Corrosion of reinforcing steel in concrete is a significant problem around the world. In the United States, there are approximately 600,000 bridges. From those bridges 24% are considered structurally deficient or functionally obsolete based on the latest, December 2010, statistic from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Mainly, this is due to chloride attack present in deicing salts which causes the reinforcing steel to corrode. Different solutions have been developed and used in practice to delay and prevent corrosion initiation. The purpose of this research is to investigate the influence of corrosion on the failure mechanism that occurred on an Interstate 81 bridge deck. After 17 years in service, a 3ft x3ft closure pour section punched through. It was part of the left wheel path of the south bound right lane of the bridge deck. The bridge deck was replaced in 1992 as part of a bridge rehabilitation project, epoxy coated reinforcement were used as the reinforcing steel. Four slabs from the bridge deck, containing the closure, were removed and transported to the Virginia Tech Structures and Materials Research Laboratory for further evaluation. Also, three lab cast slabs were fabricated as part of the assessment program. Corrosion evaluation and concrete shrinkage characterization were conducted in this research. The corrosion evaluation study included visual observation, clear concrete cover depth, concrete resistivity using single point resistivity, half-cell potential, and linear polarization using the 3LP device. Shrinkage characteristics were conducted on the lab cast slabs only, which consisted of monitoring shrinkage behavior of the specimens for 180 days and comparison of the data with five different shrinkage models. Based on the research results, guidance for assessment of other bridge decks with similar conditions will be constructed to avoid similar types of failures in the future. / Master of Science

No description available.

No description available.

Mudanças volumétricas presentes na matriz cimentícia, oriundas dos processos de hidratação e de secagem do compósito cimentício, geram uma tendência de fissuração no material. Em pisos de concreto, a presença de tal manifestação patológica, decorrente do fenômeno da retração por secagem, é extremamente preocupante. Desta forma, a realização de esforços visando avaliar a influência de materiais constituintes do traço do concreto e seus proporcionamentos, com o intuito de reduzir a tendência de fissuração do material, gerada pelo fenômeno da retração por secagem, é extremamente válida. Para isto, foram avaliados fatores controláveis como o consumo de água (175l/m³; 190l/m³; 205l/m³), o teor de adição de microfibras de polipropileno (0g/m³; 300g/m³; 600g/m³; 900g/m³), o tipo de cimento (CP IV; CP V-ARI) e a idade, variável para cada ensaio realizado. Os ensaios empregados para esta avaliação foram o de resistência à compressão uniaxial, resistência à tração na flexão, retração por secagem livre e retração por secagem restringida. Os resultados dos ensaios mecânicos demonstraram a influência significativa do tipo de cimento e da idade avaliada na resistência do concreto. O teor de adição de microfibras de polipropileno exerceu uma pequena influência, porém significativa, com incrementos de 5% nos resultados mecânicos do ensaio de resistência à compressão uniaxial para os traços com teores de adição de 300g/m³ e 600g/m³. No entanto para o ensaio de resistência à tração na flexão, tal variável não se demonstrou significativa. O fator consumo de água não influenciou significativamente nos resultados correspondentes aos ensaios mecânicos, uma vez que a relação a/c manteve-se constante para todos os concretos estudados. No ensaio de retração por secagem livre, o tipo de cimento não demonstrou significância relevante para os resultados obtidos. Comportamento este, também observado para o teor de adição de microfibras de polipropileno, o qual não reduziu a magnitude da retração por secagem livre. Diferentemente do observado para a variável consumo de água, a qual influenciou significativamente nos dados obtidos, demonstrando a existência de uma relação direta entre a mesma e o fenômeno estudado. No ensaio de retração por secagem restringida, a tendência de fissuração dos concretos estudados foi influenciada significativamente pelo consumo de água presente na mistura. Conjuntamente, os resultados obtidos neste ensaio demonstraram que o teor de adição de microfibras de polipropileno é uma variável que deve ser proporcionada como os demais materiais constituintes do traço do concreto, ou seja, a quantidade incorporada no compósito cimentício não pode ser um valor determinado, semelhante para qualquer tipo de concreto. / Volumetric changes present in the cement paste matrix, coming from the processes of hydration and drying of cementitious composites, generate a cracking tendency in the material. In the concrete floor, this cracking tendency is extremely worrying. In this sense, efforts to evaluate the influence of important parameters in the mixture proportions of concrete, for decrease the cracking tendency due to drying shrinkage, it’s extremely valid. So, parameters were assessed like the consumption of water (175l/m³; 190l/m³; 205l/m³), the addition content of polypropylene staple fiber (0g/m³; 300g/m³; 600g/m³; 900g/m³), the type of cement (CP IV; CP V-ARI) and age, different for each test performed. The tests performed for this assessment were the compressive strength, flexural tensile strength, unrestrained drying shrinkage and restrained drying shrinkage. The results of mechanical tests shown the significant influence of the kind of cement and age assessed in the strength of concrete. The addition content of polypropylene staple fiber exerted little influence on the results of mechanical tests, but it was significant, with increases of 5% in the results of compressive strength for the mixtures with addition levels of 300g/m³ e 600g/m³. However for the flexural tensile strength, this parameter didn’t show significant. The water consumption didn’t influence significantly the results of mechanical tests, since the ratio a/c was constant for all concretes studied. In the unrestrained drying shrinkage, the kind of cement didn’t show importance for the results. This behavior also observed for the addition content of polypropylene staple fiber, which didn’t reduce the magnitude of free drying shrinkage. However, the water consumption influenced significantly in the results, demonstrating the existence of a direct relationship between it and the phenomenon studied. In the restrained drying shrinkage, the cracking tendency of the concrete studied was significantly affected by the consumption of water present in the mixture. Together, the results of this test showed that the addition content of polypropylene staple fiber is a parameter that should be provided as the others materials of the concrete mixture, i.e., the amount of polypropylene staple fiber incorporated into the cementitious composite can’t be a value fixed, similar to any type of concrete mixture.

<p>Fibre-to-board is a simulation model developed at Stora Enso Research Centre Karlstad. Within this model isotropic hand sheet properties are used as input data for prediction of the final multi ply board properties. In order to improve and verify the calculations from simulations in Fibre-to-board so that these will correspond better with the results from the measurements on the paper/board machine, it was requested at RCK to investigate the possibility to optimize the input data to the model.</p><p>Standardized hand sheet forming always results in sheets with properties far away from those produced on a machine. Therefore the aim with this Master thesis was to modify the laboratory procedure to receive hand sheets with properties closer to machine sheets. To achieve this, it was investigated how different parameters affect the sheet properties and if the hand sheet making process could be improved.</p><p>When freely dried sheets were investigated it was found that sheets pressed with a wire clothing between the blotting paper and the hand sheet were less cockled than sheets pressed against only blotting papers. These sheets also tend to have a higher density. The cockling i.e. as a result from shrinkage was also reduced when the sheets were dried between slightly weighted wire clothing. Neither wire clothing nor orientated blotting papers during pressing eliminate the influence of anisotropic blotters on the shrinkage for isotropic hand sheets.</p><p>It was also examined how the fine material influences sheet properties. The results showed that an increase in fines content result in higher shrinkage, higher density, increased TSI, more cockling and decreased air permeability.</p><p>Different pressing loads and an increased density did not have much influence on the shrinkage. The density for freely dried sheets increased with higher load, but the results did not reach machine sheet densities, when the laboratory platen press was used. It might be difficult to receive freely dried hand sheets with higher densities. This is because fibres in freely dried sheets tend to relax after pressing, which will influence the density. Another press than the platen press used in these studies might compensate this matter. An increased pressing load resulted in less cockled sheets.</p><p>The basis weight did not seem to have that large affect on the shrinkage when using machine chest furnish, therefore the basis weight on hand sheets used as input data to the simulation model Fibre-to-board might not be that important.</p><p>It was studied how different plies and SW/CTMP pulp in a mixture affect the shrinkage. The results showed that the shrinkage increased with a higher SW content. It was also found that there is a linear relation between the total shrinkage of a SW/CTMP pulp mixture and the shrinkage for each individual pulp.</p><p>In order to verify the Fibre-to-board model a simulation finally was performed. Furnishes and CD profiles of board were collected from a particular board machine within the Stora Enso Group. Properties from hand sheets made of furnishes were used as input data and the machine CD profiles were used as references. The CD TSI value corresponded with the value received from measurements on the machine board, but the MD TSI value did not. The shrinkage calculated on machine sheets did not coincide with the shrinkage from the simulation in Fibre-to-board.</p><p>There are insecurities in the results from shrinkage measurement on the board CD profile due to the lack of width measurement during the process, which complicates the validation of the Fibre-to-board model.</p> / <p>Fibre to board är en simulerings modell framtagen vid Stora Enso Research Centre Karlstad. Modellen används för att prediktera krympning och styrkeegenskaper hos en bestämd kartongbana. Indata till modellen hämtas ifrån isotropa laboratorieark. För att förbättra och verifiera erhållna resultat från simuleringsmodellen så att de korresponderar bättre med värden från kartongmaskinen fanns det ett önskemål från RCK om att undersöka möjligheten att optimera indata till modellen.</p><p>Laboratoriearktillverkning enligt standard resulterar alltid i ark med egenskaper som ligger långt från maskin arkens. Därför är syftet med detta examensarbete att modifiera arktillverkningsmetoden så att laboratorieark med egenskaper närmare de för maskinark kan erhållas. För att lyckas med detta undersöktes det hur olika parametrar påverkar pappersegenskaperna och om tillverkningsmetoden kunde förbättras.</p><p>Vid undersökning av fritorkade ark upptäcktes att ark som pressats med viraduk mellan läskark och laboratorieark blev mindre buckliga än ark som pressats med enbart läskark. Dessa ark hade också en något högre densitet. Buckligheten som är en följd av krympningen reducerades också när arken torkades mellan viraduk under lätt belastning. Läskarkens inverkan på de isotropa arken kunde inte elimineras genom att använda viraduk vid pressning, inte heller genom att växla läskarken så att deras MD riktning orienterades olika.</p><p>Även finmaterialets inverkan på pappersegenskaperna undersöktes. Resultaten visade att ett ökat finmaterial innehåll ger ökad krympning, högre densitet, ökat dragstyvhetsindex, buckligare ark och en minskad luft permeabilitet.</p><p>Det visade sig att olika presstryck ger arken en högre densitet men krympningen påverkades inte märkbart. Densitet i samma nivå som på maskinark kunde däremot inte erhållas med laboratorieplanpress. Detta kan bero på att fibrerna i fritorkade ark relaxerar efter pressning, vilket ger en lägre densitet. För att kunna få högre densitet kanske en annan press än den planpress som användes i dessa studier kan införas. Det kunde även konstateras att ett ökat presstryck ger mindre buckliga ark.</p><p>I dessa studier, där ark tillverkades av färdiga skiktblandningar från maskinkar, hade inte ytvikten på arken någon större inverkan på krympningen. Detta tyder på att ytvikten på arken som används som indata inte har så stor inverkan vid simulering i modellen Fibre-to-board.</p><p>Det undersöktes även hur skikten i ett två-skikts ark och en blandning av LF/CTMP massa påverkar krympningen. Resultaten visade att krympningen ökar med en högre andel LF och att det finns ett linjärt samband mellan den totala krympningen för en blandning av LF/CTMP massa och krympningen för de enskilda massorna.</p><p>För att kunna verifiera beräkningsmodellen Fibre-to-board utfördes slutligen en simulering. Skiktblandningar och tvärsprofiler från kartong togs ut från en specifik pappers maskin inom Stora Enso koncernen. Egenskaperna på laboratorieark gjorda av skiktblandningarna användes som indata till simuleringsprogrammet och kartongprofilerna från pappersmaskinen användes som referens. Dragstyvhetsindex i CD stämde bra överens med de mätningar som gjordes på maskinarken, men dragstyvhetsindex i MD skiljde sig. Krympningen som beräknades på maskinarken överensstämde inte med det simulerade resultatet. Det förekommer en osäkerhet i krympmätningarna som gjordes på kartong profilerna, då det idag inte förekommer någon mätutrustning på pappersmaskinen, som bestämmer bredden mellan press- och torkpartiet. Detta komplicerar valideringen av Fibre-to-board modellen.</p>

Fibre-to-board is a simulation model developed at Stora Enso Research Centre Karlstad. Within this model isotropic hand sheet properties are used as input data for prediction of the final multi ply board properties. In order to improve and verify the calculations from simulations in Fibre-to-board so that these will correspond better with the results from the measurements on the paper/board machine, it was requested at RCK to investigate the possibility to optimize the input data to the model. Standardized hand sheet forming always results in sheets with properties far away from those produced on a machine. Therefore the aim with this Master thesis was to modify the laboratory procedure to receive hand sheets with properties closer to machine sheets. To achieve this, it was investigated how different parameters affect the sheet properties and if the hand sheet making process could be improved. When freely dried sheets were investigated it was found that sheets pressed with a wire clothing between the blotting paper and the hand sheet were less cockled than sheets pressed against only blotting papers. These sheets also tend to have a higher density. The cockling i.e. as a result from shrinkage was also reduced when the sheets were dried between slightly weighted wire clothing. Neither wire clothing nor orientated blotting papers during pressing eliminate the influence of anisotropic blotters on the shrinkage for isotropic hand sheets. It was also examined how the fine material influences sheet properties. The results showed that an increase in fines content result in higher shrinkage, higher density, increased TSI, more cockling and decreased air permeability. Different pressing loads and an increased density did not have much influence on the shrinkage. The density for freely dried sheets increased with higher load, but the results did not reach machine sheet densities, when the laboratory platen press was used. It might be difficult to receive freely dried hand sheets with higher densities. This is because fibres in freely dried sheets tend to relax after pressing, which will influence the density. Another press than the platen press used in these studies might compensate this matter. An increased pressing load resulted in less cockled sheets. The basis weight did not seem to have that large affect on the shrinkage when using machine chest furnish, therefore the basis weight on hand sheets used as input data to the simulation model Fibre-to-board might not be that important. It was studied how different plies and SW/CTMP pulp in a mixture affect the shrinkage. The results showed that the shrinkage increased with a higher SW content. It was also found that there is a linear relation between the total shrinkage of a SW/CTMP pulp mixture and the shrinkage for each individual pulp. In order to verify the Fibre-to-board model a simulation finally was performed. Furnishes and CD profiles of board were collected from a particular board machine within the Stora Enso Group. Properties from hand sheets made of furnishes were used as input data and the machine CD profiles were used as references. The CD TSI value corresponded with the value received from measurements on the machine board, but the MD TSI value did not. The shrinkage calculated on machine sheets did not coincide with the shrinkage from the simulation in Fibre-to-board. There are insecurities in the results from shrinkage measurement on the board CD profile due to the lack of width measurement during the process, which complicates the validation of the Fibre-to-board model. / Fibre to board är en simulerings modell framtagen vid Stora Enso Research Centre Karlstad. Modellen används för att prediktera krympning och styrkeegenskaper hos en bestämd kartongbana. Indata till modellen hämtas ifrån isotropa laboratorieark. För att förbättra och verifiera erhållna resultat från simuleringsmodellen så att de korresponderar bättre med värden från kartongmaskinen fanns det ett önskemål från RCK om att undersöka möjligheten att optimera indata till modellen. Laboratoriearktillverkning enligt standard resulterar alltid i ark med egenskaper som ligger långt från maskin arkens. Därför är syftet med detta examensarbete att modifiera arktillverkningsmetoden så att laboratorieark med egenskaper närmare de för maskinark kan erhållas. För att lyckas med detta undersöktes det hur olika parametrar påverkar pappersegenskaperna och om tillverkningsmetoden kunde förbättras. Vid undersökning av fritorkade ark upptäcktes att ark som pressats med viraduk mellan läskark och laboratorieark blev mindre buckliga än ark som pressats med enbart läskark. Dessa ark hade också en något högre densitet. Buckligheten som är en följd av krympningen reducerades också när arken torkades mellan viraduk under lätt belastning. Läskarkens inverkan på de isotropa arken kunde inte elimineras genom att använda viraduk vid pressning, inte heller genom att växla läskarken så att deras MD riktning orienterades olika. Även finmaterialets inverkan på pappersegenskaperna undersöktes. Resultaten visade att ett ökat finmaterial innehåll ger ökad krympning, högre densitet, ökat dragstyvhetsindex, buckligare ark och en minskad luft permeabilitet. Det visade sig att olika presstryck ger arken en högre densitet men krympningen påverkades inte märkbart. Densitet i samma nivå som på maskinark kunde däremot inte erhållas med laboratorieplanpress. Detta kan bero på att fibrerna i fritorkade ark relaxerar efter pressning, vilket ger en lägre densitet. För att kunna få högre densitet kanske en annan press än den planpress som användes i dessa studier kan införas. Det kunde även konstateras att ett ökat presstryck ger mindre buckliga ark. I dessa studier, där ark tillverkades av färdiga skiktblandningar från maskinkar, hade inte ytvikten på arken någon större inverkan på krympningen. Detta tyder på att ytvikten på arken som används som indata inte har så stor inverkan vid simulering i modellen Fibre-to-board. Det undersöktes även hur skikten i ett två-skikts ark och en blandning av LF/CTMP massa påverkar krympningen. Resultaten visade att krympningen ökar med en högre andel LF och att det finns ett linjärt samband mellan den totala krympningen för en blandning av LF/CTMP massa och krympningen för de enskilda massorna. För att kunna verifiera beräkningsmodellen Fibre-to-board utfördes slutligen en simulering. Skiktblandningar och tvärsprofiler från kartong togs ut från en specifik pappers maskin inom Stora Enso koncernen. Egenskaperna på laboratorieark gjorda av skiktblandningarna användes som indata till simuleringsprogrammet och kartongprofilerna från pappersmaskinen användes som referens. Dragstyvhetsindex i CD stämde bra överens med de mätningar som gjordes på maskinarken, men dragstyvhetsindex i MD skiljde sig. Krympningen som beräknades på maskinarken överensstämde inte med det simulerade resultatet. Det förekommer en osäkerhet i krympmätningarna som gjordes på kartong profilerna, då det idag inte förekommer någon mätutrustning på pappersmaskinen, som bestämmer bredden mellan press- och torkpartiet. Detta komplicerar valideringen av Fibre-to-board modellen.

Concrete-filled buckling restrained braces (BRBs) was first developed in 1988 in Tokyo, Japan, to prevent the steel plates in the core portion from buckling, leading the steel core to exhibiting a more stable and fully hysteretic loop than conventional steel braces. However, past studies have shown that buckling restrained braced frames (BRBFs) have a large residual deformation after a median or high seismic event due to steel’s residual strain. In order to address this issue, innovative self-centering SMA braces are proposed and installed in the originally unbraced bays in existing BRBFs to become a hybrid frame system where the existing steel BRBs dissipate energy induced by external forces and the newly added self-centering SMA braces restore the building configuration after the steel BRBs yield. A case study of conventional three-story BRBF retrofitted by the proposed self-centering SMA braces is carried out to develop systematic retrofit strategies, to investigate the structural behavior, and to probabilistically assess their seismic performance in terms of interstory drifts, residual drifts, and brace deformation, as compared to the original steel BRB frames. Finally, the developed brace component fragility curves and system fragility curves will be further used for the assessment of downtime and repair cost.

Mudanças volumétricas presentes na matriz cimentícia, oriundas dos processos de hidratação e de secagem do compósito cimentício, geram uma tendência de fissuração no material. Em pisos de concreto, a presença de tal manifestação patológica, decorrente do fenômeno da retração por secagem, é extremamente preocupante. Desta forma, a realização de esforços visando avaliar a influência de materiais constituintes do traço do concreto e seus proporcionamentos, com o intuito de reduzir a tendência de fissuração do material, gerada pelo fenômeno da retração por secagem, é extremamente válida. Para isto, foram avaliados fatores controláveis como o consumo de água (175l/m³; 190l/m³; 205l/m³), o teor de adição de microfibras de polipropileno (0g/m³; 300g/m³; 600g/m³; 900g/m³), o tipo de cimento (CP IV; CP V-ARI) e a idade, variável para cada ensaio realizado. Os ensaios empregados para esta avaliação foram o de resistência à compressão uniaxial, resistência à tração na flexão, retração por secagem livre e retração por secagem restringida. Os resultados dos ensaios mecânicos demonstraram a influência significativa do tipo de cimento e da idade avaliada na resistência do concreto. O teor de adição de microfibras de polipropileno exerceu uma pequena influência, porém significativa, com incrementos de 5% nos resultados mecânicos do ensaio de resistência à compressão uniaxial para os traços com teores de adição de 300g/m³ e 600g/m³. No entanto para o ensaio de resistência à tração na flexão, tal variável não se demonstrou significativa. O fator consumo de água não influenciou significativamente nos resultados correspondentes aos ensaios mecânicos, uma vez que a relação a/c manteve-se constante para todos os concretos estudados. No ensaio de retração por secagem livre, o tipo de cimento não demonstrou significância relevante para os resultados obtidos. Comportamento este, também observado para o teor de adição de microfibras de polipropileno, o qual não reduziu a magnitude da retração por secagem livre. Diferentemente do observado para a variável consumo de água, a qual influenciou significativamente nos dados obtidos, demonstrando a existência de uma relação direta entre a mesma e o fenômeno estudado. No ensaio de retração por secagem restringida, a tendência de fissuração dos concretos estudados foi influenciada significativamente pelo consumo de água presente na mistura. Conjuntamente, os resultados obtidos neste ensaio demonstraram que o teor de adição de microfibras de polipropileno é uma variável que deve ser proporcionada como os demais materiais constituintes do traço do concreto, ou seja, a quantidade incorporada no compósito cimentício não pode ser um valor determinado, semelhante para qualquer tipo de concreto. / Volumetric changes present in the cement paste matrix, coming from the processes of hydration and drying of cementitious composites, generate a cracking tendency in the material. In the concrete floor, this cracking tendency is extremely worrying. In this sense, efforts to evaluate the influence of important parameters in the mixture proportions of concrete, for decrease the cracking tendency due to drying shrinkage, it’s extremely valid. So, parameters were assessed like the consumption of water (175l/m³; 190l/m³; 205l/m³), the addition content of polypropylene staple fiber (0g/m³; 300g/m³; 600g/m³; 900g/m³), the type of cement (CP IV; CP V-ARI) and age, different for each test performed. The tests performed for this assessment were the compressive strength, flexural tensile strength, unrestrained drying shrinkage and restrained drying shrinkage. The results of mechanical tests shown the significant influence of the kind of cement and age assessed in the strength of concrete. The addition content of polypropylene staple fiber exerted little influence on the results of mechanical tests, but it was significant, with increases of 5% in the results of compressive strength for the mixtures with addition levels of 300g/m³ e 600g/m³. However for the flexural tensile strength, this parameter didn’t show significant. The water consumption didn’t influence significantly the results of mechanical tests, since the ratio a/c was constant for all concretes studied. In the unrestrained drying shrinkage, the kind of cement didn’t show importance for the results. This behavior also observed for the addition content of polypropylene staple fiber, which didn’t reduce the magnitude of free drying shrinkage. However, the water consumption influenced significantly in the results, demonstrating the existence of a direct relationship between it and the phenomenon studied. In the restrained drying shrinkage, the cracking tendency of the concrete studied was significantly affected by the consumption of water present in the mixture. Together, the results of this test showed that the addition content of polypropylene staple fiber is a parameter that should be provided as the others materials of the concrete mixture, i.e., the amount of polypropylene staple fiber incorporated into the cementitious composite can’t be a value fixed, similar to any type of concrete mixture.

Mudanças volumétricas presentes na matriz cimentícia, oriundas dos processos de hidratação e de secagem do compósito cimentício, geram uma tendência de fissuração no material. Em pisos de concreto, a presença de tal manifestação patológica, decorrente do fenômeno da retração por secagem, é extremamente preocupante. Desta forma, a realização de esforços visando avaliar a influência de materiais constituintes do traço do concreto e seus proporcionamentos, com o intuito de reduzir a tendência de fissuração do material, gerada pelo fenômeno da retração por secagem, é extremamente válida. Para isto, foram avaliados fatores controláveis como o consumo de água (175l/m³; 190l/m³; 205l/m³), o teor de adição de microfibras de polipropileno (0g/m³; 300g/m³; 600g/m³; 900g/m³), o tipo de cimento (CP IV; CP V-ARI) e a idade, variável para cada ensaio realizado. Os ensaios empregados para esta avaliação foram o de resistência à compressão uniaxial, resistência à tração na flexão, retração por secagem livre e retração por secagem restringida. Os resultados dos ensaios mecânicos demonstraram a influência significativa do tipo de cimento e da idade avaliada na resistência do concreto. O teor de adição de microfibras de polipropileno exerceu uma pequena influência, porém significativa, com incrementos de 5% nos resultados mecânicos do ensaio de resistência à compressão uniaxial para os traços com teores de adição de 300g/m³ e 600g/m³. No entanto para o ensaio de resistência à tração na flexão, tal variável não se demonstrou significativa. O fator consumo de água não influenciou significativamente nos resultados correspondentes aos ensaios mecânicos, uma vez que a relação a/c manteve-se constante para todos os concretos estudados. No ensaio de retração por secagem livre, o tipo de cimento não demonstrou significância relevante para os resultados obtidos. Comportamento este, também observado para o teor de adição de microfibras de polipropileno, o qual não reduziu a magnitude da retração por secagem livre. Diferentemente do observado para a variável consumo de água, a qual influenciou significativamente nos dados obtidos, demonstrando a existência de uma relação direta entre a mesma e o fenômeno estudado. No ensaio de retração por secagem restringida, a tendência de fissuração dos concretos estudados foi influenciada significativamente pelo consumo de água presente na mistura. Conjuntamente, os resultados obtidos neste ensaio demonstraram que o teor de adição de microfibras de polipropileno é uma variável que deve ser proporcionada como os demais materiais constituintes do traço do concreto, ou seja, a quantidade incorporada no compósito cimentício não pode ser um valor determinado, semelhante para qualquer tipo de concreto. / Volumetric changes present in the cement paste matrix, coming from the processes of hydration and drying of cementitious composites, generate a cracking tendency in the material. In the concrete floor, this cracking tendency is extremely worrying. In this sense, efforts to evaluate the influence of important parameters in the mixture proportions of concrete, for decrease the cracking tendency due to drying shrinkage, it’s extremely valid. So, parameters were assessed like the consumption of water (175l/m³; 190l/m³; 205l/m³), the addition content of polypropylene staple fiber (0g/m³; 300g/m³; 600g/m³; 900g/m³), the type of cement (CP IV; CP V-ARI) and age, different for each test performed. The tests performed for this assessment were the compressive strength, flexural tensile strength, unrestrained drying shrinkage and restrained drying shrinkage. The results of mechanical tests shown the significant influence of the kind of cement and age assessed in the strength of concrete. The addition content of polypropylene staple fiber exerted little influence on the results of mechanical tests, but it was significant, with increases of 5% in the results of compressive strength for the mixtures with addition levels of 300g/m³ e 600g/m³. However for the flexural tensile strength, this parameter didn’t show significant. The water consumption didn’t influence significantly the results of mechanical tests, since the ratio a/c was constant for all concretes studied. In the unrestrained drying shrinkage, the kind of cement didn’t show importance for the results. This behavior also observed for the addition content of polypropylene staple fiber, which didn’t reduce the magnitude of free drying shrinkage. However, the water consumption influenced significantly in the results, demonstrating the existence of a direct relationship between it and the phenomenon studied. In the restrained drying shrinkage, the cracking tendency of the concrete studied was significantly affected by the consumption of water present in the mixture. Together, the results of this test showed that the addition content of polypropylene staple fiber is a parameter that should be provided as the others materials of the concrete mixture, i.e., the amount of polypropylene staple fiber incorporated into the cementitious composite can’t be a value fixed, similar to any type of concrete mixture.