Title:
Optimized quality control procedure with the Barcelona test and the inductive method for FRC
Author(s):
Galeote, E.; Blanco, A.; Cavalaro, S.H.P.; de la Fuente, A.
Publication:
Symposium Paper
Volume:
343
Issue:
Appears on pages(s):
30-39
Keywords:
FRC, quality control, bending test, Barcelona test, inductive method, content of fibres
DOI:
Date:
10/1/2020
Abstract:
The optimization of resources and materials with the objective of cutting costs has a great
relevance at all stages of the design of a structure, including the quality control. In fibrereinforced
concrete (FRC), the three-point bending tests are performed routinely as means of
quality control to determine the residual strength. Nevertheless, the high scatter of its results
and its complex setup requiring special equipment encourages the use of alternative tests to
determine the post-peak strength of FRC. In this respect, the Barcelona test arises as an
alternative method to characterize FRC due to a more reduced variability of the results, a
lower concrete consumption and the simplicity of its execution. Moreover, the inherent
heterogeneity of FRC directly affects the content of fibers within the concrete, which is one of
the main factors governing the post-cracking strength of FRC. In this regard, the inductive
method is proposed as a complementary test to assess the content of fibres during quality
control using the same specimens to be tested under the Barcelona test. Therefore, the main
aim of this study is to present a methodology to correlate the three-point bending test with the
Barcelona test and show the feasibility of using the latter as an alternative method.
Furthermore, the combination of the Barcelona test with the inductive method leads to a more
complete characterisation of FRC.