Reinforcing effect of surface-modified steel fibers in ultra-high-performance concrete under tension

The direct tensile behavior of ultra-high-performance surface-modified steel fiber-reinforced concrete was evaluated in this study. Various chemical modifications were applied to steel fibers, including acetone washing, hydrochloric acid washing, zinc phosphating, silica coating, and chelation using an ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) electrolyte solution, which improved the tensile strength, tensile strain, and g-value to a maximum of 17.76 MPa, 1.22%, and 144.51 kJ/m³, respectively. Acetone washing and EDTA chelating were the most effective methods for improving the tensile strength, whereas silica coating was the best for improving the strain capacity and energy absorption capacity. The optimal treatment time for EDTA chelation treatment was approximately 6 h, and the tensile performance decreased considerably after 12 h of treatment. Comparing these results with those of pullout experiments revealed that a high shear stress should be maintained after the fiber has fully debonded to effectively enhance the post-cracking tensile performance.