Self compacting reinforced concrete beams strengthened with natural fiber under cyclic loading

The present work focuses on the use of coconut fiber in self compacting concrete. Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC) is a highly flowable, stable concrete which flows readily into place, filling formwork without any consolidation and without undergoing any significant segregation. Use of fibers in SCC bridge the cracks and enhance the performance of concrete by not allowing cracks to propagate. They contribute to an increased energy absorption compared to plain concrete. Coconut fiber has the highest toughness among all natural fibers. It is known that structures in the seismic prone areas are always under the influence of cyclic loading. To justify the importance of strengthening SCC beams with coir fiber, the present work has been undertaken. A comparison is made between cyclic and static loading of coconut fiber reinforced self compacting concrete (FRSCC) members. Using the test data obtained from the experiment, hysteresis loops were drawn and comparison of envelope curve, energy dissipation, stiffness degradation were made and important conclusions were draw to justify the use of coconut fiber in SCC.