Evaluation of the Effect of Polypropylene Synthetic Fibers on Thickness Design of Cement Concrete Composite Runway Considering Effective Flexural Strength and ۳D Finite Element Analysis

In this study, the effects of the addition of polypropylene synthetic fibers, including micro-fiber (PP) and three different types of twisted macro fibers (FORTA, CHTW, and IRTW) to cement composites, on the thickness of concrete runways were studied, with considering effective flexural strength and ۳D finite element analysis. The effective modulus of rupture for each mixture was determined using the results of ASTM C۷۸ and ASTM C۱۶۰۹ test methods. FAARFIELD software was used to design the runway of a major airport by using the effective modulus of rupture and ۳D finite element models in the analysis. The results showed that the addition of fibers reduces the thickness by ۲۸%. FORTA fiber was more effective in thickness reduction, and the effects of PP, IRTW, and CHTW fibers were close. It was concluded that considering flexural performance and thickness reduction of the runway, macro fibers' performance is superior to micro-fibers.