Preparation and properties of bendable concrete for bridge-deck link slabs

To obtain ultra-high-strength bendable concrete, herein, ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and copper-plated microsteel fibers are used as reinforcement to prepare four groups of bendable concrete. The compressive strength, bending strength, and bending toughness of the obtained concrete are evaluated. The results show that the fibers improve the compressive strength and bendable strength of the concrete, and the reinforcement effect differentiates from the fiber type. PE fibers show the most significant effect on the toughness of the concrete, followed by PE–PVA hybrid and PVA fibers, and that of steel fibers is the worst.