Shear performance of basalt fiber composite RC beams with different laminated heights of basalt fiber

Abstract Basalt fiber (BF) is known for its high tensile strength, low elastic modulus, and environmental friendliness. To investigate the influence of basalt fiber reinforced concrete (BFRC) lamination heights on the beams' shear performance, four basalt fiber reinforced concrete and reinforced concrete (BFRC‐RC) beams featuring diverse laminated heights were fabricated and underwent bending tests. To further investigate the impact of stirrup and shear span ratios on the shear performance of BFRC‐RC beams, finite element models (FEMs) were established based on the experiments. The results indicated that four test beams experienced diagonal shear failure. Compared to RC beams, BFRC‐RC beams exhibited heightened ductility and stiffness. Additionally, as the BFRC laminated height rose, both cracking and peak loads increased. Compared to BFRC‐RC beams without stirrups, stirrups in those beams transitioned the diagonal shear failure to flexural failure. Stirrups in BFRC‐RC beams increased both the yield and peak loads, thereby enhancing their ductility. With a reduction in the shear span ratio, BFRC‐RC beams increased in both yield and peak loads, accompanied by a simultaneous decrease in yield and peak displacement. Finally, a model incorporating the influence of laminated height on BFRC‐RC beams' behavior was introduced to predict their bearing capacity. The theoretical values aligned well with the experimental results.