Development of fibre-reinforced concrete pipes

加拿大混凝土管道行业已有世纪的历史，涉及21家生产公司，沿着还有12家供应和设备公司。然而，在过去的几十年里，由于来自其他管道产品的竞争，加拿大经济的这一重要部门的市场份额一直在萎缩。技术突破和结构变革是提高该行业盈利能力和竞争力所必需的。降低生产成本是这一战略的核心。在这个研究项目中，我们承担的任务是用离散的增强纤维取代用于增强混凝土管道的劳动密集型和耗时的钢筋笼，这些纤维可以添加到混凝土混合物中，而无需对现有的生产工艺进行重大改变。该项目由安大略圭尔夫的Con Cast Pipe和西安大略大学的结构实验室和岩土研究中心合作进行。将优化用于管道制造的具有定制工程特性的纤维增强混凝土（FRC）混合物。按比例缩小的纤维增强混凝土模型管将在实验室进行测试，然后对预制厂生产的全尺寸纤维增强混凝土管进行测试。几个实验参数将进行调查，以取得平衡，导致生产FRC管满足设计规范要求，但成本竞争力与上级完成质量。覆土荷载下FRC埋地管道的数值建模和全尺寸测试将允许制定适当的设计指南，为设计界和该行业其他利益相关者接受此类管道铺平道路。预计该项目将导致高素质的人才，可以领导技术的培训，并将大大有助于Con Cast Pipe降低生产成本，并通过获得市场份额产生额外的收入。

The more than a century old Canadian concrete pipe industry involves 21 producing companies, along with another 12 companies of supply and equipment. However, this important sector for the Canadian economy has been experiencing a shrinking market share over the last few decades due to emerging competition from other pipe products. Technological breakthroughs and structural changes are needed for enhancing the profitability and competitiveness of this industry. Reducing production costs is central to such a strategy. In this research project, we undertake the task of replacing the labour-intensive and time-consuming steel cages used for reinforcing concrete pipes with discrete reinforcing fibres that can be added in the concrete mixture without major changes in existing production processes. The project is conducted in collaboration between Con Cast Pipe, Guelph, Ontario and the Structures Laboratory and Geotechnical Research Centre at The University of Western Ontario. Fibre-reinforced concrete (FRC) mixtures with tailor made engineering properties for pipe manufacturing will be optimized. Scaled down FRC model pipes will be tested in the laboratory, followed by testing of full-scale FRC pipes manufactured at the precast plant. Several experimental parameters will be investigated to strike a balance that leads to producing FRC pipes meeting design code requirements, yet cost-competitive with superior finish quality. Numerical modeling and full-scale testing of FRC buried pipes under overburden loading will allow formulating adequate design guidelines, paving the way for the acceptance of such pipes within the design community and other stakeholders of this industry. It is anticipated that this project will lead to the training of highly qualified personnel that can lead the technology, and will substantially help Con Cast Pipe both reducing production costs and generating additional revenues through gaining market share.