FRCcalc - software for design of fiber reinforced concrete elements according to MC2010 recommendations

Abstract

A new software, denominated FRCcalc, was developed for the analysis and design of fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) members based on the recommendations and design guidelines of MC2010. The software is guided for the analysis of FRC cross-sections with and without conventional steel reinforcements, submitted to bending and shear, in order to assess the ultimate and serviceability limit state safety verifications of structural members. A main feature of the software is the possibility to run a comparative analysis between FRC and reinforced concrete (RC) cross-sections from the technical aspects. Two examples of the analysis of FRC and RC cross-sections using FRCcalc are presented, having been explored the use of fiber reinforcement in members for increased structural performance and as a total or partial replacement of conventional steel reinforcement. Additionally, in order to appraise FRCcalc accuracy to evaluate the flexural response of FRC and RC cross-sections, a comparison with the results obtained with DOCROS software is presented, being DOCROS based on a layered model capable of attributing to each layer an aimed constitutive model, therefore adequate to predict the moment-curvature of cross sections composed of several types of cement, metallic and polymer materials.