Static and Dynamic Behavior of Extruded Sheets with Short Fibers

Abstract
The present paper studies the static and dynamic properties of cementitious thin sheets reinforced with discontinuous fiber reinforcement by direct tension test and impact test. The thin sheet specimens are fabricated by the extrusion technique so that the majority of fibers can be aligned into a unified direction. Two kinds of fibers are investigated: (1) polyvinyl alcohol fibers; and (2) glass fibers. It is found that glass fibers are more effective in improving the tensile strength and impact properties of specimens, while polyvinyl alcohol fibers can greatly increase the tensile strain and toughness of specimens. When using these two fibers together, both the static and dynamic properties of specimens can significantly be improved, especially the impact toughness. The influences of high dosages of ground blast furnace slag and silica fume in the mixture are also investigated. The optimum mixing ratios of these mineral admixtures are proposed based on the static and dynamic testing results.