Iterative analytical modelling of the global behaviour of textile-reinforced cementitious matrix composites subjected to tensile loading

This study develops an analytical model to predict the global mechanical behaviour of textile-reinforced cementitious matrix composites (TRCMCs) subjected to tensile loading. This model is based on micromechanical parameters that control the mechanical behaviour of the TRCMC, especially during the cracking stage, which constitutes a scientific problem for this type of composite. To accomplish this, an experimental study is conducted for nine different configurations of TRCMCs: two types of matrices, two types of textile reinforcement, and three reinforcement ratios. The specimens were equipped with distributed fibre-optic sensing (DFOS) based on the Rayleigh backscattering principle, with a millimetric spatial resolution that permits analysis of both the local and global mechanical behaviour during the test. The analytical model is developed based on the principle of equivalent stiffness and follows an explicit iterative approach with an imposed displacement. The results for this model are compared with both the experimental results and an existing model in the literature, namely, the Aveston-Cooper-Kelly model. Next, a parametric study is conducted to better understand the effects of some geometrical and mechanical parameters on the global mechanical response of the TRCMC.