FIBRE REINFORCED

CONCRETE
BUILDING TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT

NEED

PCC has low tensile strength, limited ductility and

little resistance to cracking
PCC develops micro-cracks, even before loading

Addition of small, closely spaced and uniformly

FIBRE REINFORCED CONCRETE

distributed fibres act as crack arresters.

FIBRE REINFORCED CONCRETE is a

composite material consisting of mixtures of
cement, mortar or concrete and discontinuous,

FACTORS AFFECTING THE

PROPERTIES OF FRC
Relative Fibre Matrix Stiffness

Volume of Fibres

Aspect Ratio of the Fibre

Orientation of Fibres

Workability and Compaction of Concrete

Size of Coarse Aggregate

Mixing

FIBRE REINFORCED CONCRETE

1. RELATIVE FIBRE MATRIX

STIFFNESS

Modulus of elasticity of matrix must be much

FIBRE REINFORCED CONCRETE

lower than that of fibre. E.g. steel, glass,

carbon

Fibres with low modulus of elasticity- nylon,

polypropylene

Interfacial bond between the matrix and the

fibres determine the effectiveness of stress
transfer

2. VOLUME OF FIBRES

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3. ASPECT RATIO OF THE FIBRE

Aspect Ratio of a fibre = Length/Diameter
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4. ORIENTATION OF FIBRES
The effect of randomness, was tested using
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mortar specimens reinforced with 0.5% volume

of fibres, by orienting them:

parallel to the direction of the load

perpendicular to the direction of the load

in random
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5. Workability and Compaction of

Concrete
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Fibres reduce workability

6. Size of Aggregate
Size of CA is restricted to 10mm
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7. MIXING
: 325 to 550 kg/m3

W/C Ratio

: 0.4 to 0.6

% of sand to total aggregate

: 50 to 100%

Maximum Aggregate Size

: 10 mm

Air-content

: 6 to 9%

Fibre content

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Cement content

: 0.5 to 2.5% by vol

of mix
: Steel -1% -

78kg/m3

TYPES OF FRCS

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STEEL FIBRE REINFORCED

CONCRETE (SFRC)
Aspect ratios of 30 to 250

Diameters vary from 0.25 mm to 0.75 mm

Hooks are provided at the ends to improve

bond with the matrix

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INTRODUCTION OF STEEL FIBRES

MODIFIES:
Tensile strength

2.

Compressive strength

3.

Flexural strength

4.

Shear strength

5.

Modulus of Elasticity

6.

Shrinkage

7.

Impact resistance

8.

Strain capacity/Toughness

9.

Durability

10.

Fatigue

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1.

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APPLICATIONS OF SFRC
Highway and airport pavements

Refractory linings

Canal linings

Industrial floorings and bridge-decks

Precast applications - wall and roof panels, pipes,

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boats, staircase steps & manhole covers

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Structural applications

POLYPROPYLENE FIBRE
REINFORCED CONCRETE (PFRC)
Cheap, abundantly available

High chemical resistance

High melting point

Low modulus of elasticity

Applications in cladding panels and shotcrete

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GLASS FIBRE REINFORCED

CONCRETE (GFRC)
High tensile strength, 1020 to 4080 N/mm2

Lengths of 25mm are used

Improvement in impact strengths, to the tune of

1500%

Increased flexural strength, ductility and

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resistance to thermal shock

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Used in formwork, swimming pools, ducts and

OTHER FIBRES

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ASBESTOS FIBRES

High thermal, mechanical and chemical

Short in length (10 mm)

Flexural strength is 2 to 4 times that of

unreinforced matrix

Contains 8-16% of asbestos fibres by volume

Associated with health hazards, banned in

many countries

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resistance

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CARBON FIBRES
Material of the future, expensive

High tensile strengths of 2110 to 2815 N/mm2

Strength and stiffness superior to that of steel

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ORGANIC/VEGETABLE FIBRES
Jute, coir and bamboo are examples

They may undergo organic decay

Low modulus of elasticity, high impact

strength

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