Design of glass-fibre-reinforced concrete floors according to the fib Model Code 2010

The use of fibres as an alternative to steel welded wire mesh and rebars is today an extensive practice for the reinforcement of concrete floors. But although the use of fibres as the only reinforcement for slabs-on-ground can lead to a highly improved productivity, simpler execution, increased durability, etc., the proportion of fibre-reinforced concrete (FRC) solutions is still very limited with respect to its potential. This paper presents the application of the fib Model Code 2010 (MC2010) to the design of a glass-macro-fibre-reinforced concrete slab-on-ground, using finite element analysis and nonlinear fracture mechanics, easily enabled by the material constitutive equations proposed by the MC2010. The relatively high post-cracking performance provided by glass macro-fibres at low crack openings is especially convenient for highly indeterminate structures such as floors, where the ultimate capacity involves very low crack openings (usually below 0.3 mm). The MC2010 approach allows these specific material and structural behaviours to be taken into account, leading to competitive FRC floor designs.