Flexural performance of transparent plastic bar reinforced concrete

In this study, experiments were conducted to derive a mix design for improving the flexural performance of light transparent concrete, which is attracting much attention and interest as an interior and exterior material for buildings, so that it could be easily applied in the field as a non-structural element by securing a lightweight, workability, and economic efficiency through the improvement of the concrete mix design and the use of economical materials for promoting its practical use. It was found that the mixing of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fiber was effective in improving the consistency by preventing the aggregate from floating due to the mixing of lightweight aggregate with a low specific gravity. The flexural performance test results showed that the load transfer factor (LTF) from the concrete matrix to the fiber was highest in the test specimens without plastic bars, followed by those with 5 and 10 mm plastic bars, respectively.