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<doi>/ISEC.res.2017.104</doi>
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<article-title>PUNCH TEST FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF<br/>
FRACTURE ENERGY ON CONCRETE MIXED TO<br/>
NATURAL PLANT FIBERS</article-title>
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<author>LAURA ANANIA and GIUSEPPE D'AGATA</author>

<aff>Dept of Civil and Architecture Engineering, University of Catania, Catania, Italy</aff>


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<abstract>
<title>ABSTRACT</title>
<p>Ductility of a material that collapses because of the propagation of cracks depends on
elastic properties of the material, on the fracture energy as well as on the structural
dimensions. In this paper, we discuss the use of the punch tests for the assessment of
both the tensile strength and the fracture energy of cylindrical concrete specimens with
different volume content of natural fibers derived from a very common plant of Sicily
(agave). For the validation of the experimental results a numerical simulation of the
test was also carried out a FEA using models in which tensile strength and fracture
energy value, obtained by punch test, are an input of the material so that the failure
load P can be obtained. A good accordance between numerical and experimental data
permits us to support the use of the Punch Test (PT) as a more attractive testing method
for the evaluation of the mechanical proprieties of the materials. PT, in fact, is much
simpler to perform than the split cylinder test method. Besides, the study shows the
improvement of the post cracking behavior of concrete element reinforced by the use of
natural and renewable fiber.</p>
<p><italic>Keywords: </italic>Testing method, FEA, Post-cracking characterization, Double punch test,
Natural fiber, Environmental.</p>
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<hpdf>M-38</hpdf>
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