Experimental Investigation on Structural Shear Behaviour and Mechanical Characteristics
of Steel Fiber Reinforced Concrete Beams Without Stirrups

ABSTRACT
Received: 4 October 2024
Revised: 13 January 2025
Accepted: 20 January 2025
Available online: 31 March 2025
Reinforced concrete beam (RCB) is used in a wide range of construction systems as one
of the primary elements to bear various loads. This paper utilised an RCB to study and
evaluate the hooked-end steel fiber structural behaviour; in addition, the mechanical
characteristics of mixtures were also evaluated. In total, four concrete mixtures were
utilised; three mixtures were prepared by different volume fractions (vf) of hooked-end
steel fiber 0.5% S.F., 1.0% S.F., and 1.50% S.F., in addition to the mixture without the
presence of steel fibers (0% S.F.) as a control mixture. The mixture was referred to as
a group; each group included one RCB with a cross-section area of 120×120 mm and a
length of 1000 mm, as well as four standard cubes, cylinders, and three prisms. The
experimental results indicate that the increase in the hooked-end steel fiber vf ratio in
RCB significantly improves load-carrying capacities and structural behaviour when
compared with non-fibrous RCB. The mechanical results approach that the higher vf of
1.50% hooked-end steel fiber produced a higher tensile strength of 6.36 MPa and a
higher flexural strength of 10.35 MPa, resulting in an increase of 71.89% and 116.5%
in the splitting tensile strength and modulus of rupture, respectively. Also, in terms of
structural shear performance, the load capacity of the RCB with 1.50% vf reinforced has
increased by 70.13%, with a reduction in mid-span deflection of 39.64% as compared
to the RCB without steel fiber. On the other hand, the presence of fibers in 0.5 and 1.0%
vf had a negative impact on compressive strength, while 1.50% of steel fiber showed a
slight improvement and increased by 6.70% on it. These findings have practical
implications for the construction of RCBs, as they demonstrate the potential for
improving shear and flexural strength through steel fiber reinforcements.