With the addition of fibres made of various materials and different geometries the ductility and the tensile strength of concrete can be increased. Based on the idea of distributing the reinforcement evenly throughout the concrete, fibre reinforced concrete was developed by adding the reinforcement directly during the mixing process. Besides all of the well known steel fibers nowadays plastic fibers and hybrid fibers (a mix of different fibers) can be used for additional applications.
The choice of fibre type and fibre geometry depends mainly on the application field. Therefore, the geometry, quality and physical properties of the fibres are matched to each application.
Many different properties of the fresh and hardened concrete can be effectively influenced by adding fibres. There are innumerable different types of fibres with different material characteristics and shapes. Correct selection for different uses is important. As well as the actual material, the shape of the fibres is also a critical factor. To improve the fire protection of concrete is only one application where micro polypropylene (PP) fibres are used successfully. Another example where micro PP fibres can be used is to improve the resistance of early age cracks in concrete where as macro and steel fibres are mainly used to improve the strength, resistance and energy absorption of the hardened concrete and to substitute at least parts of the ordinary steel reinforcement.
WHERE TO USE:
- Industrial flooring
- Sprayed concrete
- Slender structures (usually in precast plants)
- Fire resistant structures
- Mortar applications (rehabilitation)
