Fatigue-induced in-situ strength deterioration of micro-polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fiber in cement matrix

For soft fiber and brittle matrix system such as polymeric fiber-reinforced cementitious composites, the fiber strength deterioration dominates the performance of composites subject to fatigue loading. The fatigue-induced in-situ fiber strength deterioration in brittle matrix, however, has rarely been studied. In this paper, fatigue-induced in-situ strength deterioration of micro-polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fiber in cement matrix was experimentally investigated. The effects of fiber embedment, fiber inclination, and fiber surface treatment on the in-situ strength of micro-PVA fibers are reported. The results show that fiber embedment into cement matrix not only reduces the in-situ strength of fiber but also changes the fatigue stress-cycle (S-N) curve and failure mode of fiber. Fiber inclination further decreases the in-situ strength of embedded fiber due to local stress concentration of bent fibers. Oil-treatment on fiber surface can effectively delay fatigue-induced in-situ strength deterioration of micro-PVA fiber.