Meso-Scale Numerical Creep Analysis of Steel Fibre Reinforced Concrete—Effect of Aggregate and Fibre Content

Steel fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC) is a heterogeneous material with its properties strongly dependent on its composition. The effect of aggregate content and fibre content on the creep response of SFRC is investigated here using a 2D meso-scale model that is based on the finite element method. The SFRC meso-structures used for the analysis are randomly generated using a numerical algorithm. The meso-scale model treats SFRC as a three-phase composite, consisting of viscoelastic mortar, elastic coarse aggregates and elastic steel fibres. The viscoelastic response of mortar is modelled using a rate-type Kelvin chain model, whereas the fibres are modelled using truss elements. The capability of the proposed model in simulating the creep response of SFRC is demonstrated from the presented numerical examples. Parametric studies have also been carried out on various randomly generated SFRC meso-structures, which quantitatively demonstrate the effect of the aggregate and fibre content on the creep response of SFRC.