Design Aspects on Steel Fiber-Reinforced

Concrete Pavements
Beatrice Belletti1; Roberto Cerioni2; Alberto Meda3; and Giovanni Plizzari4
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Abstract: A numerical study on the fracture behavior of steel fiber-reinforced concrete 共SFRC兲 slabs on grade for industrial pavements
is presented. Finite element analyses have been carried out by using a commercial finite element code where user subroutines based on
nonlinear fracture mechanics have been implemented to describe the progressive cracking behavior of SFRC. The model is capable of
simulating both primary and secondary cracks when they occur in concrete and it has been validated by comparing numerical predictions
with experimental observations of full-scale tests on slabs on elastic subgrade under point loads in different positions. A real pavement
with contraction or construction joints has been numerically simulated to investigate the stress and the strain fields for the most significant
positions of point loads.
DOI: 10.1061/共ASCE兲0899-1561共2008兲20:9共599兲
CE Database subject headings: Pavements; Slabs; Joints; Reinforced concrete; Fiber reinforced materials; Concrete structures;
Fracture; Nonlinear analysis.

Introduction
Major progress in concrete technology has allowed the enhance-
ment of several concrete properties, such as workability, durabil-
ity, early age strength, fatigue and impact resistance, fire
resistance, toughness, etc. The latter property is mainly provided
by steel or special synthetic fibers properly added to the concrete
matrix and is particularly important for high strength concrete
which is characterized by a more brittle behavior 共Balaguru and
Shah 1992; Naaman and Reinhardt 2003; di Prisco et al. 2004兲.
Toughness properties of fiber-reinforced concrete 共FRC兲 can be
measured by using one of the widely available Standards 共ASTM
2002, 2006; CEN 2004, 2006; JCI 1984; UNI 2003兲.
Research studies on structural applications of FRC performed
during the last 10 years clearly shows the benefits from using
fibers in addition to or in substitution for conventional reinforce-
ment 共di Prisco et al. 2004兲. In fact, fibers represent an optimized
reinforcement for diffused stresses and are particularly appealing
for reducing labor time and for ensuring a distributed reinforce-
ment in elements with complex geometries 共di Prisco and Felicetti
1999兲.
One of the most important applications of FRC nowadays is
represented by industrial pavements where fibers provide correct
1
Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Architecture,
Univ. of Parma, via Usberti 181/a, 43100 Parma, Italy.
2
Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Architecture,
Univ. of Parma, via Usberti 181/a, 43100 Parma, Italy.
3
Dept. of Engineering Design and Technologies, Univ. of Bergamo,
V.le Marconi 5, 24044 Dalmine 共BG兲, Italy.
4
Dept. DICATA, Univ. of Brescia, Via Branze 43, 25123 Brescia,
Italy.
Note. Associate Editor: Nemkumar Banthia. Discussion open until
February 1, 2009. Separate discussions must be submitted for individual
papers. The manuscript for this paper was submitted for review and pos-
sible publication on August 13, 2007; approved on January 28, 2008. This
paper is part of the Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, Vol. 20,
No. 9, September 1, 2008. ©ASCE, ISSN 0899-1561/2008/9-599–607/
$25.00.
positioning of the reinforcement 共the top welded mesh can seldom
stay in the correct position during casting operations兲 and reduce
cracking phenomena, which may be significant in pavements
共Meda and Plizzari 2004兲. However, fibers are also widely used in
shotcrete for tunnels 共as early-stage lining兲, for final tunnel lin-
ings 共both conventional and segmental兲, and for precast elements.
Structural applications of FRC will further increase since design
rules for FRC structures are now available 共ACI 1988; RILEM
2000; CNR 2007兲 and sections on FRC are under development
within the new fib Model Code 共2008兲 共unpublished兲 and ACI
共2008兲 共unpublished兲.
Design methods for FRC pavements were traditionally based
on the elastic response 共Westergaard 1926兲; more recently, limit-
analysis methods based on the yield line theory 共Johansen 1962兲
were proposed 共Concrete Society 2003; Meda 2003兲. However, an
elastic approach is not suitable since fibers activate after cracking
of the concrete matrix, where structural behavior is markedly
nonlinear. On the other hand, a design approach based on the
yield line theory may provide a reasonable approximation of the
ultimate load when 共1兲 material behavior is plastic in the post-
cracking regime but this rarely occurs with the usual fiber rein-
forcement adopted for slabs on ground, and 共2兲 the yield lines are
known. Furthermore, the yield line approach only provides the
ultimate load while service conditions are particularly important
for slabs on grade in terms of deformation and, especially, crack
control.
Correct methods of analysis should be based on nonlinear frac-
ture mechanics 共NLFM兲 that properly consider the postcracking
behavior of concrete 共Hilleborg et al. 1976兲, also for strain-
softening materials, as usually occurs in FRC for pavements. In
fact, postcracking behavior of FRC with a volume fractions of
fibers lower than 1% 共as normally occurs in FRC pavements兲, is
usually strain softening 共Fig. 1兲; therefore, fibers are particularly
suitable for use in structures with a high degree of redundancy,
such as slabs on grade, where a significant stress redistribution is
possible 共di Prisco and Plizzari 2004兲.
In this paper, NLFM analyses of steel FRC 共SFRC兲 slabs on
grade are performed by using a finite element 共FE兲 Model pro-

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Fig. 1. Aggregate and fiber roles in FRC softening 共f c = 70 MPa,

V f = 2%, s ⬅ w兲

posed herein. The adopted constitutive model is able to describe

the behavior of uncracked and cracked concrete with both pri-
mary and secondary cracks. A strain-softening law, which takes
into account the bridging action due to aggregates and fibers 共Li
et al. 1993兲, is used to determine the relationship between stresses
共after fracture in Modes I and II兲 and crack opening and sliding.
The proposed model is validated by comparing the results of
numerical simulations with the results of an intensive experimen-
tal program on full-scale slabs on grade 共Sorelli et al. 2004,
2006兲. Afterwards, it is used to study SFRC industrial pavements
with contraction or construction joints. Finally, an optimized re-
inforcement based on the presence of both fibers and welded
mesh is proposed.

Modeling

An extension of the physical approach for reinforced concrete

共PARC兲 model 共Belletti et al. 2001兲 has been adopted to describe
the nonlinear mechanical behavior of SFRC structural elements
subjected to plane stresses 共Belletti et al. 2003兲. In the uncracked
stage, reinforced concrete has been modeled as an orthotropic
material having symmetry axes coincident with principal direc-
tions of strain. The biaxial state of stress is described by means of
two equivalent uniaxial states 共Darwin and Pecknold 1977兲. The
maximum strength values, corresponding to the “equivalent”
uniaxial states, have been determined through the analytical biax-
ial strength envelope suggested by Kupfer et al. 共1969兲.
When the maximum principal stress becomes greater than the
concrete tensile strength, concrete cracks and the PARC model is
adopted for modeling the cracked SFRC. Primary cracks are ide-
alized as fixed and equally spaced at a distance am that is assumed
as equal to the fiber length 共Fig. 2兲.
The PARC stiffness matrix is evaluated by taking into account
the softening of cracked concrete in compression 共Vecchio and
Collins 1993兲, the aggregate interlock 共Gambarova 1983兲, and the
cohesive stresses of cracked SFRC 共Bazant and Gambarova
1980兲.
When the stress field in the SFRC between two cracks pro-
duces a maximum principal stress greater than the tensile
strength, a secondary crack forms 共Fig. 2兲. In the case of double
cracking, a generalization of the PARC model is here adopted,
following the approach of strain decomposition proposed by other
authors 共De Borst and Nauta 1985; Riggs and Powell 1986; Rots
Fig. 2. 共a兲 Doubly cracked element subjected to plane stress; 共b兲
notations for primary and secondary cracking; 共c兲 kinematic param-
eters of primary cracking; and 共d兲 kinematic parameters of secondary
cracking
and Blaauwendraad 1989兲. It is based on the following assump-
tions: 共1兲 when secondary cracks start, primary cracks are not
subjected to closing and reopening; 共2兲 total strain is obtained by
adding the strain due to primary cracks to that due to secondary
cracks; 共3兲 the stress field is the same both for primary and sec-
ondary cracks; 共4兲 primary and secondary cracks are assumed to
act one by one; thus their behavior is hypothesized unrelated to
each other; and 共5兲 crack spacing is assumed to be the same both
for primary and secondary cracks. A more exhaustive explanation
of the theoretical approach proposed, in the case of secondary
cracking, can be found in Belletti et al. 共2004兲.
Comparison with Experimental Evidence
The behavior of SFRC slabs on grade was experimentally studied
by performing tests on full-scale specimens having a square ge-
ometry with a side of 3,000 mm and a thickness of 150 mm

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Fig. 3. Spring stiffness
共Sorelli et al. 2004; 2006兲. The experimental model aims to rep-
resent an area of pavement included among the joints 共the differ-
ent boundary conditions are discussed in the following section兲.
The slabs were made of a normal strength concrete 共C25/ 30兲,
typical for pavement use, reinforced with hooked fibers having a
length 共l f 兲 of 50 mm, a diameter 共␾ f 兲 of 1 mm, an aspect ratio
共l f / ␾ f 兲 of 50, and volume fraction 共V f 兲 equal to 0.38%. In order to
determine the fracture properties of the materials, four-point
bending tests were performed on beams 共150⫻ 150⫻ 600 mm兲,
having a notch added midspan with a depth of 45 mm, as required
by the Italian Standard 共UNI 11039 2003兲; test parameters con-
cern the tensile and the postcracking flexural strength. For the
determination of the parameter representing the material behavior
in uniaxial tension, an inverse analysis was carried out by adopt-
ing the bending test results.
In order to reproduce a Winkler soil, the slabs were placed on
steel springs equally spaced 共at a distance of 375 mm in both
directions兲 that were designed to simulate a subgrade modulus
significant for practice 共k = 0.08 N / mm3兲. Before performing the
slab tests, the stiffness of each spring was experimentally deter-
mined, by applying several loading cycles; a typical result is
shown in Fig. 3. The nonlinear response of the springs, namely
the no-tension behavior and the bilinear shape of the compression
part, was taken into account by the numerical model as a trilinear
law 共Fig. 3兲. Further details on the experimental program are
published elsewhere 共Sorelli et al. 2004, 2006兲. The load was
monotonically applied in different positions of the slabs 共Fig. 4兲
by means of a hydraulic jack, while linear variable differential
transformers were used to measure the vertical displacements at
different locations.
The experiments were simulated by nonlinear FE analyses car-
ried out by using the multipurpose FE code ABAQUS. A mesh of
isoparametric multilayered shell elements were adopted. The
PARC stiffness matrix, implemented into a user subroutine, de-
scribes the nonlinear behavior at each integration point of layers
which characterizes the geometrical and mechanical features of
the shell cross section.
Comparisons between experimental and numerical results, in
terms of applied load versus vertical displacement of the loaded
point, are illustrated in Fig. 5. Since pavement failure was asso-
ciated with the formation of a collapse mechanism with yield
lines along the main flexural cracks 共no punching cracks oc-
curred; Falkner et al. 1995兲, the numerical ultimate load was con-
ventionally assumed as the load corresponding to a sudden
increment of the opening of main cracks.
Numerical and experimental final crack patterns are shown in
Fig. 6. The numerical prediction of the crack pattern development
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J. Mater. Civ. Eng., 2008, 20(9): 599-607
Fig. 4. Point positions of applied loads 共measured in mm兲
until failure is an essential requirement in slab design both for the
serviceability limit state and the ultimate limit state.
The satisfactory agreement between the numerical and experi-
mental results demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed nu-
merical procedure in describing the nonlinear behavior of SFRC
slabs on grade. The sensitivity of the slab behavior to the stiffness
and the modeling of springs has been evaluated by analyzing the
slab with a load in the center. Fig. 7共a兲 shows a comparison be-
tween the load-displacement curve obtained by concentrating the
64 springs as in the experiments 共at a distance of 375 mm兲 or
distributing them in all the nodes of the FE model to better simu-
late the elastic subgrade. The good agreement between numerical
and experimental curves evidences that the spring arrangement
during the test properly reproduces the actual behavior of slabs on
grade.
Traditional design of concrete pavements 共without fibers兲 is
based on the Westregaard 共1926兲 approach, which considers slab
failure when the first crack appears. Up to the latter load level
共first cracking兲, slab uplift is not present and all the subbase
springs are compressed. Since fibers activate after cracking of the
concrete matrix when slab uplift occurs, a correct modeling of
nonlinear springs is necessary. The role played by tension resis-
tance of springs is shown in Fig. 7共b兲, where it is clear that only
the no-tension spring behavior must be used for modeling the
subgrade after concrete cracking; on the contrary, the ultimate
load prediction is not so significantly dependent on the elastic or
elastic-plastic trend chosen for the compressive part.
Design Aspects in Slabs on Grade
As mentioned above, real pavements are characterized by the
presence of construction and/or contraction joints 共the latter are
made for limiting shrinkage cracking兲. For this reason, further
nonlinear finite-element 共NLFE兲 analyses have been carried out to
evaluate this practical situation of slabs with joints subjected to
loads applied at different positions 关Fig. 8共a兲兴. Contraction joints
are made by sawing the slab for a depth of 50 mm from the top
surface; the joint width is assumed to be equal to 6 mm 关Fig.
8共b兲兴. Fig. 8共c兲 shows the FE modeling adopted for multilayered
shell elements: Each layer is 50 mm thick; therefore, three-layer
共in the slab兲 and two-layer 共along the joints兲 shell elements
关marked in light grey and dark grey in Fig. 8共c兲兴 indicate the slab
and joint thickness, respectively. In this study, different mechani-
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Fig. 5. Comparison between experimental and numerical results in
the case of load applied 共a兲 at the center; 共b兲 at a border; and 共c兲 at a
corner of the slab
cal properties were adopted for slab and joint elements; in fact,
since the contraction joints may be precracked by shrinkage phe-
nomena, in the constitutive law an initial strain equal to the crack-
ing strain was assumed.
Slabs separated by construction joints are often connected by
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J. Mater. Civ. Eng., 2008, 20(9): 599-607
Fig. 6. Comparison between experimental and numerical crack pat-
terns at failure of 共a兲 bottom side of slab loaded at the center; 共b兲 top
side of slab loaded along the median; and 共c兲 top side of slab loaded
at the corner
steel dowels. In the present paper, equally spaced dowels
共distance= 500 mm兲 having a diameter of 16 mm 关Fig. 8共c兲兴 were
adopted. These dowels are embedded for a length of 600 mm in
one slab and are unbonded 共due to presence of a plastic tube兲 in
the adjacent slab 共the contraction joint reinforcement adopted
herein is typical in construction practice兲. Shear transfer across
contraction joints is guaranteed by the concrete continuity under
the joint while, across construction joints, it is made possible by
the dowels.
The dowel behavior is simulated by a theoretical model pro-
posed by Gelfi et al. 共2002兲; according to this model, the dowel is
schematically approximated with an initial linear elastic behavior
followed by a plastic response 关Figs. 9共a and b兲兴. In the elastic
stage the dowel is assumed to behave as a traditional beam on an
elastic foundation of unlimited length 共Johansen 1949兲 and the
ultimate load of the connection is reached when two plastic
hinges develop in the dowel shank.
By assuming a concrete-to-concrete connection, the local stiff-
ness 共Ks兲 becomes
V 12␣6c ESIS
KS = = 63 共1兲
s ␣c t + 6␣5c t2 + 12␣4c t + 12␣3c
where Ks is expressed in N/mm; Es = Young modulus of the steel
stud 共MPa兲
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Fig. 7. Slab response depending on 共a兲 spring arrangement; 共b兲 spring response

␣c = 冑4 kc / 4ESJS
IS = ␲ · d4/64

共mm 兲; kc = equivalent elastic soil stiffness

4 lc =
冉 冑
−t 1⫾ 1+
4f sy 2
3f hct2
d 冊 共3兲
2
关N / mm2兴; d = stud diameter 共mm兲.
The ultimate shear load can be determined as where t = joint width equal to 6 mm and f sy = steel stress at yield-
ing.
Vu = f hcdlc 共2兲 The model requires both concrete elastic stiffness 共kc兲 and
dowel bearing strength 共f hc兲 as input data in Eqs.共1兲 and 共2兲; in
where f hc = dowel bearing strength the present paper, these values were conventionally assumed as

Fig. 8. Slabs with contraction or construction joints: 共a兲 positions of applied load; 共b兲 details of a contraction joint; 共c兲 FE modeling of
multilayered shell elements; and 共d兲 details of a construction joint with a steel dowel 共measured in mm兲

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 Fig. 9. Shear load versus relative displacement of a steel stud
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10390 N / mm and 120 MPa, respectively 共Fig. 9兲.

In order to compare the numerical results 共from multiple slabs兲
with the experimental results 共where a single slab specimen was
tested; Sorelli et al. 2004, 2006兲, the same geometrical and mate-
rial properties of the experimental slabs were adopted: 150 mm
thickness, joints placed at a distance of 3,000 mm in both direc-
tions 关by doing so, square slabs having a side of 3,000 mm are
limited by joints; Fig. 8共a兲兴. The aim of the NLFM analyses is to
determine the actual service behavior and bearing capacity of a
Fig. 11. Additional conventional reinforcement along the perimeter
pavement by considering a point load in different positions and to
of the pavement 共measured in mm兲
investigate the capability of transferring the load between adja-
cent slabs.
Fig. 10 exhibits the load-deflection 共of the loaded point兲
Owing to the crack development into contraction joints, the slab
curves for SFRC slabs 共single and multiple兲 with and without
with a load applied near the contraction joints has a more brittle
conventional reinforcement along the perimeter; for the sake of
behavior 关Fig. 12共a兲兴. Furthermore, the bearing capacity of the
comparison, the curve from a single slab with a point load in the
slabs on grade increases when adjacent slabs are present because
center is also plotted. It can be noted that the behavior of single
of the capability of transferring the load through the joints.
and multiple slabs with a load applied along the external borders
However, by considering that the concentrated load can be
or at the external corners is similar and, as was shown Fig. 5, the
applied in different positions of the pavement 共especially when it
bearing capacity of slabs with the load along the border or at the
is related to the presence of vehicles兲, the bearing capacity of the
corner is remarkably lower than that of the slab with a center
worst case of the multiple slabs 共central load in an external slab兲
load. When this loading condition occurs in practice, the bearing
is not so different from the case of a load in a single slab 共Fig.
capacity of SFRC pavements can be increased by using additional
12兲. This aspect becomes significant by considering that, for
conventional reinforcement 共transversal and longitudinal steel re-
single slabs with a load in the center, design charts based on
bars兲 along the perimeter of the pavement 共Fig. 11兲. Fig. 10 shows
NLFM can be easily produced 共Meda and Plizzari 2004兲; these
the remarkable increase in the bearing capacity of slabs with ad-
charts are helpful for design offices where nonlinear numerical
ditional reinforcement, which becomes similar to that correspond-
tools are not always available.
ing to a single slab loaded at the center. Figs. 12共a and b兲 show
the comparisons between numerical results obtained from mul-
tiple slabs and a single slab with the load in the center point.
Joint Effects

In order to better understand the behavior of slabs connected by

contraction or construction joints, the crack pattern of a single
slab 共3 ⫻ 3 m兲 is compared with the crack pattern of multiple
slabs 共9 ⫻ 9 m兲. Fig. 13共a兲 shows the load-displacement 共at the
load point兲 curves of slabs 共single or multiple兲 with a single load
applied in the center. It should be noted that, because of the lim-
ited bearing capacity of dowel connectors adopted
共1␾16/ 500 mm兲, slabs with construction joints have a trend in-
termediate between the single slab and the slab with contraction
joints; the final crack patterns, shown in Figs. 13共b–e兲 are evi-
dence of this aspect. In fact, the collapse mechanism in the slab
depends on the different boundary conditions 共Meda 2003兲:
• When free boundaries are present in a single square slab, a
point load acting in the slab center produces two main cracks
that develop along the median or the diagonal lines 关Fig.
13共b兲; Falkner et al. 1995兴;
• The presence of construction joints with dowels produce a
behavior similar to simply supported slabs: a point load acting
in the centroid of the slab produces diagonal main cracks
Fig. 10. Effect of reinforcement at the slab edge 关Figs. 13共b and d兲兴; and

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Fig. 12. Comparison between load-displacement curves from a
single slab with a load in the center and multiple slabs with contrac-
tion joints 共a兲, construction joints 共b兲, and load placed in different
positions
• The presence of uncracked contraction joints can be consid-
ered as a full continuity restraint: In this case the slab tends to
behave axisymmetrically close to the load and many cracks
develop radially from the point load at the top side 关Fig.
13共e兲兴.
Vertical displacements, contoured in Fig. 14, are evidence that the
increase in the bearing capacity observed for multiple slabs with
joints is due to load transfer to adjacent slabs 共the restraint exerted
by adjacent slabs prevents parts of loaded slab from rising up; as
a consequence, the subgrade can react on a greater slab exten-
sion兲. Therefore, lower stresses are present, with respect to a
single slab, for the perimetral restraint, due to the presence of
joints. For the reasons mentioned above, Fig. 14 also shows that,
for slabs with construction joints 关Fig. 14共c兲兴, the values of ver-
tical displacement are between those from a single slab 关Fig.
14共a兲兴 and those from a slab with contraction joints 关Fig. 14共b兲兴.
From Figs. 13 and 14, the overall behavior of the pavement
can be better understood. In the experimentally investigated case
of a single square slab 共3 ⫻ 3 m兲 with a central loading, the slab
begins slowly setting into the subgrade until it cracks at the bot-
tom, forming a failurelike mechanism. When the slabs have suf-
ficient moment capacity and ductility that can be provided by
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fiber reinforcement 共as well as by welded mesh兲, yield lines may
develop and the slab continues to carry load until a collapse
mechanism occurs 共Meda and Plizzari 2004兲. Usually, the pres-
ence of fiber reinforcement prevents the occurrence of punching
failure that may happen in a pavement with a welded mesh. For
larger 共real兲 slabs with construction and contraction joints, the
behavior of centrally loaded slabs is stiffer and also depends on
the amount of load that can be transferred across the joint; there-
fore, a different crack pattern occurs depending on the slab and
subgrade stiffness as well as on the joint behavior.
Concluding Remarks
Fiber-reinforced concrete is no longer simply a promising mate-
rial since it is already used in many applications and its use will
further increase since design guidelines are now available. A nu-
merical study focused on the design aspects of SFRC slabs on
grade is presented in this paper. The numerical model is based on
NLFM to properly consider the fiber contribution to concrete
toughness and to better simulate pavement behavior both at ser-
viceability and ultimate limit states. The numerical analyses were
performed with the multipurpose code ABAQUS with user sub-
routines that allow simulation of the developments of both pri-
mary and secondary cracks. Comparisons with experimental
results of full-scale tests validated the proposed model and pro-
vided evidence of the usefulness of NLFM to analyze SFRC
structures.
The bearing capacity of slabs on grade is markedly dependent
on the load position and, since loads may be present everywhere
共not only the mobile loads of the vehicles兲, they have to be con-
sidered in the most unfavorable positions that are close to the
joints 共either construction or contraction兲. The bearing capacity of
pavements with a single load close to the joints is quite similar to
that of a single slab on grade 共with free borders兲 with a load in the
center that can be easily tested. For this simple slab, design charts
to provide the minimum slab thickness can be produced. Rein-
forcement provided by fibers provides good bearing capacity for
the inner areas of the pavement; when loads are applied along the
external free borders, the reinforcement can be optimized by
using additional rebars along the perimeter.
Acknowledgments
The writers wish to express their gratitude and sincere apprecia-
tion to the Ministry of University and Research 共MIUR兲 for par-
tially financing this research work. The research project was also
supported by Officine Maccaferri S.p.A. 共Bologna, Italy兲. A spe-
cial acknowledgement goes to Ms. Eng. Andrea Di Marco for his
assistance in performing the numerical analyses.
Notation
The following symbols are used in this paper:
Ø f ⫽ fiber diameter;
Es ⫽ Young’s modulus of steel;
d ⫽ stud diameter;
f sy ⫽ steel yielding stress;
f hc ⫽ dowel bearing strength;
Is ⫽ stud moment of inertia;
l f ⫽ fiber length;
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Fig. 13. Load applied at the center of the slabs: 共a兲 Load versus displacement 共at the point load兲 curves and crack pattern at failure for 共b兲 single
slab 共3 ⫻ 3 m; bottom view兲; 共c兲 multiple slab 共9 ⫻ 9 m兲 with contraction joints 共bottom view兲; 共d兲 共top view兲; and 共e兲 multiple slab 共9 ⫻ 9 m兲
with construction joints 共bottom view兲

Fig. 14. Load applied at the center of the slabs: vertical displacements for 共a兲 3 ⫻ 3 m single slab, 9 ⫻ 9 m slab with 共b兲 contraction joints, and
共c兲 construction joints

606 / JOURNAL OF MATERIALS IN CIVIL ENGINEERING © ASCE / SEPTEMBER 2008

J. Mater. Civ. Eng., 2008, 20(9): 599-607

 k ⫽ subgrade Winkler constant;
Ks ⫽ stud stiffness;
s ⫽ shear displacement of a stud;
t ⫽ joint width;
V ⫽ shear action on a single stud;
Vf ⫽ volume fraction of fibers; and
Vu ⫽ shear capacity of the stud connector.
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