Abstract:
To investigate the influence of bamboo fiber length and fiber content on the mechanical properties of concrete, this study conducted cube compressive and splitting tensile tests on fiber-reinforced concrete with varying fiber lengths (10 mm, 20 mm, 30 mm) and fiber contents (0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%). Microstructural analysis was also performed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The results show that the incorporation of bamboo fibers improves the early-age compressive behavior of concrete and alters its failure pattern. However, the 28-day compressive strength decreases with increasing fiber length, and exhibits a trend of first increasing and then decreasing with increasing fiber content. The splitting tensile strength of BFRC exhibits a significant fiber-reinforcing effect, reaching an optimal value of 3.80 MPa at a fiber length of 20 mm and a fiber content of 1.0%, which represents a 20.8% increase over that of plain concrete. SEM analysis reveals that the uniformity of fiber distribution and the quality of the fiber-matrix interface bonding are key factors determining the macroscopic mechanical performance. Based on the experimental data, this study evaluated the applicability of existing Fiber Reinforced Concrete (FRC) strength prediction models. By comparing the deviations between model predictions and experimental values, the limitations of current models were revealed. Consequently, a predictive model specifically suitable for BFRC was developed, providing a theoretical basis for the mix proportion design of this type of material.