Influence of Discrete Spacers and Anchorage Length in Long TRC Elements

Discrete spacers can be used to connect planar textile layers and create pseudo-3D textile architectures for concrete reinforcement. Preliminary studies on short TRC (textile reinforced cement/concrete) beams have shown that on top of the manufacturing advantages, the use of discrete spacers can lead to improved textile anchorage, resulting in increased mechanical performance of the TRCs. Investigations on the effect of the anchorage length and spacer distribution on the resulting anchorage mechanism in long TRC elements are currently lacking in literature. This research investigated the influence of these parameters in long TRC beams (1200 mm) through a four-point bending experimental campaign on three TRC layups (equivalent 2D, original 3D and with discrete spacers) and two support configurations (350 mm and 550 mm span). The experimental results showed a clear beneficial influence of the discrete spacers on the anchorage mechanism and highlighted the importance of anchorage length in the free (unloaded) region of the TRCs.