Effect of the reinforcement ratio on the mechanical behaviour of textile-reinforced concrete composite: Experiment and numerical modeling

Over the past decade, the textile-reinforced concrete (TRC) composite was gradually used to replace the fibre-reinforced polymer in the strengthening or repairing of existing reinforced-concrete structures, thanks to many criteria of sustainable development. The reinforcement ratio of textiles within TRC composites emerges as a crucial factor significantly impacting their reinforcement effectiveness, altering the material’s mechanical behaviour and properties. This study presents both experimental and numerical findings concerning the tensile behaviour of carbon TRC composites, exploring reinforcement ratios ranging from 0.5 to 1.5%. As experimental results, the carbon TRC specimens exhibited a strain-hardening behaviour with the cracking phase. The ultimate strength improved by 95 and 146% compared to that of non-reinforced specimens, respectively, with the reinforcement ratio of 0.92 and 1.32%. As numerical results, the model reached the strain-hardening curve with three distinct phases when the reinforcement ratio was higher than a critical value (0.7%). The effect of reinforcement ratio ranging from 0.5 to 1.5% on the mechanical behaviour and properties of carbon TRC was also highlighted and analysed.