Essais sur voussoirs préfabriqués fibrés avec des fibres

métalliques hautes performances

Full-scale tests on precast tunnel segments reinforced with new

high performance steel fibre
Benoit DE RIVAZ, Bekaert NV/SA, Zwevegem, Belgium
Alberto MEDA, Tor Vergata University of Rome, Rome, Italy

Résumé
L'utilisation de béton armé de fibres (FRC) dans les segments de tunnel préfabriqués est en
augmentation constante. La possibilité de remplacer totalement la cage en acier ordinaire par un renfort
en fibre procure plusieurs avantages liés à une meilleure qualité, un contrôle de la fissuration, à la
durabilité et des coûts réduits. De nouvelles recommandations concernant l'utilisation du segment
préfabriqué FRC ont été récemment publiées pour fournir des informations détaillées sur l'état de l'art
(ACI, FIB, ITA) et une proposition de conception basée sur le code modèle 2010. Une attention
particulière a été accordée à l'amélioration des performances du matériau afin d'augmenter les
potentiels des segments,Il est possible d'augmenter les propriétés du béton armé de fibres en optimisant
la conception de la matrice béton et en choisissant le type de fibre approprié. L'article présente les
résultats d'essais sur des segments préfabriqués pour un tunnel hydraulique. Deux essais ont été
envisagés: un essai de flexion visant à simuler le comportement du segment principalement dans les
conditions de charge provisoires et un essai de charges ponctuelles représentatif de la condition de
charge de poussée du TBM.

Abstract
The use of Fibre Reinforced Concrete (FRC) in precast tunnel segments is continuously increasing. The
possibility of totally substituting steel cages with steel fibre reinforcement allows several advantages
related to quality, cracking control, sustainability and cost. A new guideline concerning the use of FRC
precast segment has been recently published to provide detail state of the art (ACI, FIB, ITA) and design
proposals based on Model Code 2010. Particular attention was paid to enhancing the performances of
the material in order to increase the segments potentials. Always taking into account the cost problem,
it is possible to increase the fibre reinforced concrete properties by optimizing the concrete mix design
and choosing the correct fibre reinforcement. This paper presents the results of full-scale tests
performed on precast segments for a hydraulic tunnel. Two tests were performed: a bending test aiming
to simulate the behaviour of the segment mainly under the provisional loading conditions and a point
loads tests representative to the TBM thrust loading condition.

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Essais sur voussoirs préfabriqués fibrés avec des fibres
métalliques hautes performances

Full-scale tests on precast tunnel segments reinforced with new

high performance steel fibre
Benoit DE RIVAZ, Bekaert NV/SA, Zwevegem, Belgium
Alberto MEDA, Tor Vergata University of Rome, Rome, Italy

1 Introduction
The loading tests, the subject of the present report, are carried out on precast tunnel segments in fibre
reinforced concrete produced in the Laboratory of Materials and Structures of the Civil Engineering
Department of the Roman University “Tor Vergata”, by professor Alberto Meda and Zila Rinaldi. The
segments were cast by using segment moulds typically used in hydraulic tunnels.
Two different kinds of tests were performed: a test simulating the point loads effect on the segments,
produced by the TBM machine during the digging phase and a flexural test simulating the behaviour of
the segments when loaded under bending. In total, two segments have been tested.
The tests were performed on concrete elements reinforced with 40 kg/m3 Dramix® 4D 80/60BG steel
fibres with a length of 60 mm and without additional rebar reinforcement. This is a typical precast
segment design that scores well in terms of cost and performance.

2 Segment Geometry
The tests were performed on precast segments of 250 mm thick, about 1670 mm long and about 1200
mm wide (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Segment geometry

3 Material
The segments were cast in moulds available at “Tor Vergata” (Figure 2). The concrete was prepared in
a truck mixer. The adopted moulds have electrical vibrators in order to compact the concrete. Both the
segments were made from the same batch, as well as beams and cubes that were used for material
characterization.
The mix design of the concrete used for the segment preparation is shown in Table 1. Dramix® 4D
80/60BG steel fibres were added with a content of 40 kg/m³. Dramix® 4D 80/60BG is a cold drawn bright
steel fibre with hook ends for optimum and cost efficient reinforcement of concrete. The fibres are glued
in bundles for easy dosing. The l/D ratio (80) results in a network of 11 000 ml for 40kg/m3 combined

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with high tensile strength > 1800Mpa. This dense network of 4 564 fibres per kg and 2,9 km for 10kg/m3
allows a high performance and lower dispersion.
The casting phase is shown in figure 2.
Table 1. Concrete mix design

Component kg/m3
Cement 42.5 R 480
Natural sand (0-4 mm) 422
Crushed sand (0-4 mm) 423
Crushed aggregate (4-16 mm) 519
Crushed aggregate (16-25 mm) 350
Plasticiser 4.8
Water 170
Steel fibre 40

Figure 2. Segment cast

The average compressive strength of the fibre reinforced material, measured on 8 cubes having 150
mm side, was equal to 61.20 MPa.
The tensile behaviour was characterized through bending tests on nine 150x150x600 mm notched
specimens (Figure 3) according to the EN 14651 (Figure 4). The diagrams of the nominal stress versus
the crack mouth opening displacements (CMOD) are plotted in Figure 5. Furthermore, in Table 2 are
summarised the values of the stress related to the proportional limit (fL) and the residual nominal
strengths related to four different crack openings - CMOD (0.5, 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5 mm), named fR1, fR2,
fR3, fR4.
The material can be classified as 5e according to Model Code 2010. In fact the characteristic value of
fR1k is higher than 5 MPa and the ration between fR3k and fR1k is equal to 1.37, so higher than 1.3.

Figure 3. Tensile behaviour: beam specimens

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 Figure 4. Tensile behaviour: bending test set-up (EN 14651)

Figure 5. Results of beam bending tests

Table 2. Results of beam bending tests

fL [MPa] fR1 [MPa] fR2 [MPa] fR3 [MPa] fR4 [MPa]

Beam_01 4.68 6.70 7.86 7.69 7.47
Beam_02 4.90 6.28 8.49 8.20 7.58
Beam_03 4.78 6.45 8.41 8.42 8.04
Beam_04 5.15 6.56 9.04 8.64 7.44
Beam_05 5.72 7.33 8.95 8.75 8.19
Beam_06 5.03 6.27 8.60 9.23 8.45
Beam_07 5.63 7.75 10.2 8.99 8.54
Beam_08 4.60 6.28 8.16 9.25 8.40
Beam_09 5.43 6.18 8.03 8.50 8.33
Average 5.10 6.64 8.64 8.63 8.05
Characteristic 4.30 5.58 7.26 7.65 7.19

To classify the post-cracking strength of Fibre Reinforced Concrete (FRC) a linear elastic behaviour can
be assumed, by considering the characteristic flexural residual strength values that are significant for
service (fR1k) and ultimate (fR3k) conditions. In particular two parameters, namely fR1k (representing the
strength interval) and the letters a, b, c or e (representing the fR3k/fR1k ratio).
The strength interval is defined by two subsequent numbers in the series: 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 4.0,
5.0, 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, … [MPa] while the letters a, b, c, d, e correspond to the residual strength ratios:
a if 0.5 ≤ fR3k/fR1k ≤ 0.7
b if 0.7 ≤ fR3k/fR1K ≤ 0.9
c if 0.9 ≤ fR3k/fR1k ≤ 1.1
d if 1.1 ≤ fR3k/fR1k ≤ 1.3
e if 1.3 ≤ fR3k/fR1k
The performance class achieved with the appropriate mix design using 40 kg Dramix® 4D 80/60BG is
C50/60 5e according to Model Code 2010.

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4 Segment Classification
One flexural and one point load test were performed:

4.1 Bending test

A displacement control analysis was performed according to the loading set-up as illustrated in figures
6 and 7. A 1000kN electromechanical jacket with a PID control was used at a stroke speed of 10 µm/sec.
The segments were placed on cylindrical support with a span of 1200 mm. The load was applied mid-
span and was transversally distributed by adopting a steel beam illustrated in figure 6.

Figure 6. Bending test set-up

During the test, the following measures were continuously registered:

• The load F, measured by means of a 1000kN load cell with a precision of 0.2%;
• The mid-span displacement, measured by means of three potentiometer wire transducers
placed along the transverse line;
• The crack opening at mid-span, measured by means of two LVDTs.
Furthermore, the crack pattern was recorded in different phases, with the help of a grid plotted on the
intrados surface (100x100mm).

Figure 7. Bending test instrumentation

4.2 Point load test

The point load test was performed by applying two point loads on the segment, using the same steel
plates as the TBM machine (Figure 8). A uniform support is considered, as the segment is placed on a
stiff beam suitably designed. Every jack, having a loading capacity of 2000 kN, is inserted in a close ring
frame made with HEM 360 steel beams and 50 mm diameter Dywidag bars (Figure 8).
The load was continuously measured by pressure transducers. Four potentiometer transducers (two
located at the intrados and two at the extrados) measured the vertical displacements, while one LVDT
transducer between the load pads measured the crack openings.

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 Figure 8. Point load test

5 Bending tests: results

The test set up for the segment subjected to bending test is shown in Figure 9.

Figure 9. Bending test set-up

The displacements measured by the three wire transducers are plotted versus the load in Figure 10.
No appreciable torsion was found, as the three wire transducers measured almost coincident
displacements. The maximum load was about 254 kN.
300

250 W2
W1
W3
200
Load (kN)

150

100

50

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
Displacement (mm)

Figure 10. Bending test: load-mean displacement total graph + detail up to 10 mm displacement

The first crack appeared at a load value of about 170 kN, at the intrados surface close to the mid-span
of the segment and propagates on the lateral surfaces. The crack pattern illustrated in figure 11 shows
a maximum crack width of about 0.05 mm.
At a load level of 200 kN, a new crack forms at the intrados surface, and propagates on the right lateral
face. Next, the existing crack continues to grow wider and longer. The maximum crack width is about
0.25 mm.
At a load level of 225 kN, the maximum crack width measured at the lateral surfaces is about 0.4 mm.
More cracks form at the intrados and lateral surfaces at the peak load of 253 kN. The maximum crack
width on the lateral surfaces is about 0.9 mm.

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The maximum displacement of the segment is 50 mm. Figure 11 illustrates the evolution of the crack
pattern, from peak to maximum displacement, is highlighted.

Figure 11. Bending test crack pattern

The crack width on the intrados is evaluated based on the two LVDTs measurements. The LVDTs
displacements are plotted against the load. It is worth noting that two or three cracks pass through the
instruments lengths and then the measure is related to the sum of their crack widths.

300
LVDT A
250

200 LVDT R
Load (kN)

150

100

50

0
0 1 2 3 4 5
Displacement (mm)

Figure 12. Bending test LVDTs measures

6 Point load test: results

The segment under the point load test is reported in Figure 12.

F1 F2

Figure 12. Set up of the point load test

The loading process is summarized in figure 13 through the load – time diagram. It is worth remarking
that in this report the term load will refer to the single shoe.

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 F1=F

Figure 13. Load on the single shoe vs Time

The displacements measured by the four potentiometer transducers are plotted in figure 14. The
maximum measured displacement is about 0.48 mm.

Figure 14. Load-displacement of the slabs (wire transducers)

The first crack appeared at a load level of 1000 kN (for each steel pad) between the two shoes at the
top and extrados surface. This spalling (splitting) crack propagates in the following steps through the
extrados and intrados surfaces.
Up to the load level of 1750 kN, the maximum crack width was lower than 0.05 mm. At a load level of
about 2000 kN a crack bursts opens under the point load named F2.
This crack extended, in the following steps for a length of about 80 cm at the intrados surface and about
100 cm at the extrados side
The maximum crack width measured with a crack gauge during the test was about 0.35 mm. The
maximum crack width at the end of the test, after the complete unloading, was about 0.05.
The final crack pattern is summarized in figure 15 and the crack widths measured during the test are
reported in table 3.

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 Figure 15. Point load test; crack pattern
Table 3. Crack width

Crack Crack width [mm]

name
1000 1150 1350 1500 1750 2000 2250 2500 0
[kN] [kN] [kN] [kN] [kN] [kN] [kN] [kN] [kN]
1 <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 0.05 0.05 0.10 0.30 0.35 0.05
2 - <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 0.05 0.10 0.10 0.10 0.05
3 - - - <0.05 0.05 0.10 0.20 0.20 <0.05
4 - - - - - <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 <0.05
5 - - - - - - 0.05 0.10 <0.05
6 - - - - - - 0.15 0.20 0.05
7 - - <0.05 <0.05 0

Finally, the crack width, measured by the LVDT placed between the steel pads is plotted versus the load
(of the single pad). It is worth remarking that two cracks pass through the instrument length.

Figure 16. Load-displacment diagrams (LVDT measures)

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7 Conclusion
This technical paper shows the results of one point load and one bending test carried out in the
Laboratory of the Rome University “Tor Vergata” on precast fiber reinforced concrete segments.
The load history, the load –displacement diagrams, the load – crack opening and the evolution of the
crack pattern are highlighted and pictures illustrating each test are included in this testing report
Either of the following criteria can be noted for replacing bar reinforcement with steel fibre reinforcement:
• Sectional and/or structural analysis considering the constitutive relationship defined in the
Model Code 2010 for non-linear analysis (Appendix 3). Characteristic values of the mechanical
properties are used.
• Full-scale bending tests on segments with the real geometry or, alternatively, with equivalent
geometry in terms of flexural resistance strength
The hardening behaviour in bending (at sectional level) allows immediate:
• Structural ductility (ULS)
• Crack control (SLS)

8 References
(ACI) Report of Design and Construction of Fiber-Reinforced Precast Concrete Tunnel Segments (ACI 544.7R-16);
EN 14651: Test method for metallic fibre concrete. Measuring the flexural tensile strength. (2005)
Fib Bulletins 55-56: Model Code 2010 – First complete draft. (2010)
Fib bulletin 83 “Precast Tunnel Segments in Fibre-Reinforced Concrete” WP 1.4.1 October 2017
ISO 13 270: Steel fibres for concrete — Definitions and specifications. (First edition 2013-01-15)
ITAtech Guidance for Precast Fibre Reinforced Concrete Segments – Vol. 1 Design Aspects.
Roma University testing report TESTS ON PRECAST TUNNEL SEGMENT INCONCRETE NEWLY HIGH TENSILE
STRENGTH STEEL FIBERS DRAMIX® 4D 80/60BG Prof. Alberto Meda (2015)
the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association (ITA-AITES)’s Twenty Years of FRC Tunnel
Segment Practice: Lessons Learned and Proposed Design Principles;

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