Journal of Reinforced Plastics and

Composites
http://jrp.sagepub.com/

Effect of Steel Fibers on the Properties of Concrete

R. Kumutha and K. Vijai
Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites 2010 29: 531 originally published online 23 January
2009
DOI: 10.1177/0731684408100258
The online version of this article can be found at:
http://jrp.sagepub.com/content/29/4/531

Published by:
http://www.sagepublications.com

Additional services and information for Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites can be found at:
Email Alerts: http://jrp.sagepub.com/cgi/alerts
Subscriptions: http://jrp.sagepub.com/subscriptions
Reprints: http://www.sagepub.com/journalsReprints.nav
Permissions: http://www.sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav
Citations: http://jrp.sagepub.com/content/29/4/531.refs.html

>> Version of Record - Feb 12, 2010

OnlineFirst Version of Record - Jan 23, 2009
What is This?

Downloaded from jrp.sagepub.com by Balakrishna Murthy Vallabhaneni on April 29, 2012

Effect of Steel Fibers on the Properties

of Concrete
R. KUMUTHA*
Sethu Institute of Technology, Kariapatti - 626 106
Virudhunagar District, Tamilnadu, India
K. VIJAI
Department of Civil Engineering, Sethu Institute of Technology
Kariapatti - 626 106, Virudhunagar District, Tamilnadu, India
ABSTRACT: An attempt has been made to study the effect of steel fibers on the compressive and
flexural behavior of conventional concrete. Thirty cubes and 10 flexure beams were cast, out of
which three cubes and a flexure beam belonged to the control mix. The variables in the study were
aspect ratio (15, 25, and 35) and vol% fraction of fibers (0.25, 0.50, and 0.75). A marginal
improvement in the ultimate strength was observed due to the addition of fibers. The optimum
volume fraction of fibers for better performance in terms of strength and ductility was found to be
0.5%. Accelerated curing was adopted for all the specimens. Indian standards give only the
correlation of 28-day characteristics compressive strength from the accelerated compressive strength.
There is no relationship between the 28-day flexural strength and accelerated flexural strength.
Hence an analytical model representing the relationship between 28-day flexural strength and
accelerated flexural strength was suggested. Also models for compressive strength and flexural
strength for varying aspect ratio and percentage of volume fraction were given.
KEY WORDS: steel fiber, aspect ratio, volume fraction, accelerated curing, compressive strength,
flexural strength.

INTRODUCTION
using fibers as reinforcement is not new. Fibers have been used as
reinforcement since ancient times. Historically, horse hair was used in mortar and straw
in mud bricks. In the early 1900s, asbestos fibers were used in concrete, and in the 1950s the
concept of composite materials came into being and fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC) was
one of the topics of interest. By the 1960s, steel, glass (GFRC), and synthetic fibers such as
polypropylene fibers were used in concrete, and research into new FRCs continues today.
Many studies were done regarding the structural behavior of these various FRCs. Fibers are
usually used in concrete to control plastic shrinkage cracking and drying shrinkage
cracking. They also lower the permeability of concrete and thus reduce bleeding of water.
Some types of fibers produce greater impact, abrasion, and shatter resistance in concrete.
Concerning the structural applications, fiber concrete possesses many advantages compared
to the traditional structural concrete. Higher values of tensile and compressive strength open

HE CONCEPT OF

*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: kumuthar@yahoo.co.in

Journal of REINFORCED PLASTICS

AND

COMPOSITES, Vol. 29, No. 4/2010

0731-6844/10/04 05318 $10.00/0

DOI: 10.1177/0731684408100258
SAGE Publications 2010
Los Angeles, London, New Delhi and Singapore

Downloaded from jrp.sagepub.com by Balakrishna Murthy Vallabhaneni on April 29, 2012

531

532

R. KUMUTHA

AND

K. VIJAI

the possibility to create much lighter concrete structural elements. Higher tensile strength
makes also possible the significant reduction of the amount of steel reinforcement.
This could be especially applicable in pre-stressed concrete elements. High ductility and
deformability can result in the moment redistribution in the concrete structures, which is
very important if the safety is a design issue.
Steel fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC) is a composite material in which short discrete
steel fibers are randomly distributed throughout the concrete mass. Extensive research work
on SFRC has established that the addition of steel fibers to plain cement concrete (PCC)
improves its strength, durability, toughness, ductility, post-cracking load resistance, etc.
[1,2]. Owing to the favorable characteristics of SFRC, its use has steadily increased during
the last two decades all over the world and its current fields of application include airport
and highway pavements, earthquake-resistant and explosion-resistant structures, mine and
tunnel linings, bridge deck overlays, hydraulic structures, rock-slope stabilization, etc. [3].
The behavior of steel fiber-reinforced self-compacting concrete flexural elements was
studied by Ganesan et al. [4] and it was found that the addition of steel fibers improved the
crack load and ultimate strength of the concrete. Steel fibers were added to improve tensile
strength and fracture properties of concrete. Such an addition resulted in imparting
ductility to an otherwise brittle material. The addition increased the strain capacity and
imparted improvement in ductility, also known as pseudo-ductility. The ductility factor
increased up to a steel fiber volume fraction of 0.5% for all the aspect ratios.
AIM AND SCOPE
The main endeavor of this research is to study the compressive and flexural behavior of
SFRC. In this investigation, accelerated curing or steam curing is adopted to give a few
analytical models. The objectives of the study are as follows: (1) to find the optimum
dosage of steel fibers to be added to conventional concrete to achieve desired output; (2) to
give some analytical models for flexural strength and compressive strength of SFRC from
the experimental results; (3) to arrive at the relationship between hot-curing flexural
strength and 28-day flexural strength; and (4) to propose simple analytical equations for
28-day compressive strength and 28-day flexural strength for varying aspect ratio and
volume fractions of the steel fibers.
EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM
Parameters of Study
The following parameters were considered in this experimental investigation:
1. The aspect ratio of fibers (Ar) is defined as the ratio between the length and diameter of
the fiber. Three aspect ratios were studied: 15, 25, and 35.
2. Volume fraction (Vf) is defined as the amount of fibers to be added with conventional
concrete mix. It is represented as the percentage of the total volume of concrete. Three
volume fractions, namely 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75%, were considered.
Materials
Portland pozzolana cement with a specific gravity of 3.15 was used in the casting of the
specimens. Locally available river sand with a bulk density of 1640 kg/m3 and a specific

Downloaded from jrp.sagepub.com by Balakrishna Murthy Vallabhaneni on April 29, 2012

533

Effect of Steel Fibers on the Properties of Concrete

Table 1. Mix proportions.
S.No
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Mix

Proportions (%)

A0 V 0
A15 V0.25
A15 V0.50
A15 V0.75
A25 V0.25
A25 V0.50
A25 V0.75
A35 V0.25
A35 V0.50
A35 V0.75

Control
Ar 15; Vf 0.25
Ar 15; Vf 0.50
Ar 15; Vf 0.75
Ar 25; Vf 0.25
Ar 25; Vf 0.50
Ar 25; Vf 0.75
Ar 35; Vf 0.25
Ar 35; Vf 0.50
Ar 35; Vf 0.75

gravity of 2.69 was used. Crushed granite coarse aggregate of 20 mm maximum size with a
bulk density of 1589 kg/m3 and a specific gravity of 2.89 was used. Water conforming to
the requirements of water for concreting and curing was used throughout. Steel fibers of
1.22 mm diameter were used. The lengths of these steel fibers are 18.3, 30.5, and 42.7 mm
for aspect ratios of 15, 25, and 35, respectively.
Mix Proportions
Ten different mixes were used to examine the influence of adding steel fibers on the
properties of concrete. Details of the mixes are given in Table 1. The control mix had a
proportion of 1 (cement) : 1.78 (fine aggregate) : 3.71 (coarse aggregate) for a targeted
strength of 20 MPa and did not contain fibers. The water cement ratio for all the mixes
was 0.55.
Casting, Curing, and Testing
For each mix, three cubes of 150 mm, and one flexure beam of size
100100500 mm were cast using steel molds and compacted using a vibrating table.
In this study, a boiling water method of accelerated curing was adopted. After the
specimens had been made, they were stored in a place free from vibration, in moist air
of at least 90% relative humidity and at a temperature of 27  28C for 23 hr  15 min
from the time of addition of water to the ingredients. Then the specimens were gently
lowered into the curing tank and kept totally immersed for a period of 31/2 hr  5 min.
The temperature of the water in the curing tank was maintained at boiling point
(1008C) at sea level. Care was taken to ensure that the temperature of water would not
drop more than 38C after the specimens were placed and would return to boiling
within 15 min. After curing for 3.5 hr  5 min in the curing tank, the specimens were
removed from the boiling water, removed from the molds, and cooled by immersing in
a cooling tank at 27  28C for 2 hrs. After a period of curing the specimens were taken
out for testing. In the accelerated curing by boiling water method, the age at the time
of test was 28.5 hr  20 min. Cubes were used to determine the compressive strength of
concrete. A flexure beam was used to find out the flexural strength of concrete by a
two-point bending test with a supporting span of 405 mm, using a universal testing
machine of capacity 1000 kN.

Downloaded from jrp.sagepub.com by Balakrishna Murthy Vallabhaneni on April 29, 2012

534

R. KUMUTHA

AND

K. VIJAI

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Compressive Strength
The compressive strength of concrete for all the mixes is presented in Table 2.
The experimental results gave the hot-curing compressive strength, fca. From this a 28-day
compressive strength (fck) is calculated with the help of a correlation chart given in IS
9013 [5].The relationship between hot curing compressive strength and 28-day compressive
strength is shown in Figure 1. From the results it is clear that compressive strength of
concrete increases up to a volume fraction of 0.5% for all aspect ratios and then starts
decreasing. Hence for FRC, the optimum dosage of steel fibers is 0.5% of the total volume
of concrete. For 0.5 and 0.75 vol% fraction of fibers, the compressive strength shows an
increasing trend up to an aspect ratio of 25, beyond which it decreases. For an aspect ratio
of 15, the gain in compressive strength is found to be 6, 14, and 10% for volume fractions
of 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75%, respectively. For an aspect ratio of 25, the gain in compressive

Table 2. Compressive strength.

Mix

Hot-curing compressive
strength, fca (N/mm2)

28-day compressive
strength (N/mm2)
fck 8.09 [1.64*fca]

8.98
9.88
10.99
10.34
9.80
13.57
11.66
10.81
11.66
11.07

22.82
24.29
26.11
25.05
24.16
30.34
27.21
25.82
27.21
26.24

A0 V 0
A15 V0.25
A15 V0.50
A15 V0.75
A25 V0.25
A25 V0.50
A25 V0.75
A35 V0.25
A35 V0.50
A35 V0.75

28-day compressive strength, fck

(N/ mm2)

36
34
32
30
28
26
24
22
20
5

11

13

Hot-curing compressive strength, fca

(N/ mm2)
Figure 1. Hot-curing compressive strength vs. 28-day compressive strength.

Downloaded from jrp.sagepub.com by Balakrishna Murthy Vallabhaneni on April 29, 2012

15

535

Effect of Steel Fibers on the Properties of Concrete

strength is found to be 6, 33, and 19% for volume fractions of 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75%,
respectively. For an aspect ratio of 35, the gain in compressive strength is found to be 13,
19, and 15% for volume fractions of 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75%, respectively.
Analytical Model to Predict Compressive Strength
Based on the experimental investigations reported, an analytical model has been
developed to predict the compressive strength of FRC, considering volume fraction and
aspect ratio as parameters. By a simple curve fit :
fcf fco 9:275Vf 0:0108Ar

where fcf is compressive strength of FRC, fco is compressive strength of control concrete,
Vf is the volume fraction of fibers, and Ar is the aspect ratio of fibers. Equation (1) is valid
up to a volume fraction of 0.5%. Compressive strength of SFRC with varying aspect ratio
and volume fraction of 0.75% is given by:
fcf fco  0:0157A2
r 0:0842Ar  6:8788:

Comparison of experimental results and the results obtained from the proposed
equations is presented in Table 3. It was found that a good correlation was obtained
between the experimental results and those calculated from the equations. It can be seen
that the proposed equations (1) and (2) predict the compressive strength of SFRC with
greatest accuracy.
Flexural Strength
The flexural strength of concrete for all the mixes obtained by hot curing is presented in
Table 4. Like compressive strength, there is no correlation chart in Indian standard codes
between hot-curing flexural strength and 28-day flexural strength. Hence, an attempt has
been made to determine the relationship between hot-cured flexural strength and 28-day
flexural strength. Initially a relationship between the square root of hot-curing compressive
strength and hot-curing flexural strength was established from the experimental results by a
Table 3. Comparison of experimental and analytical results.
Mix
A0 V0
A15 V0.25
A15 V0.50
A15 V0.75
A25 V0.25
A25 V0.50
A25 V0.75
A35 V0.25
A35 V0.50
A35 V0.75

fck (cal) from

28-day compressive strength
Equations (1) and (2) fck
(N/mm2) fck (exp)
22.82
24.29
26.11
25.05
24.16
30.34
27.21
25.82
27.21
26.24

(cal)/fck (exp)

22.82
25.30
27.62
25.04
25.41
27.73
27.18
25.52
27.84
26.18

Downloaded from jrp.sagepub.com by Balakrishna Murthy Vallabhaneni on April 29, 2012

1.00
1.04
1.06
1.00
1.05
0.91
1.00
0.99
1.02
1.00

536

R. KUMUTHA

AND

K. VIJAI

Table 4. Flexural strength.

Mix
A0V0
A15 V0.25
A15 V0.50
A15 V0.75
A25 V0.25
A25 V0.50
A25 V0.75
A35 V0.25
A35 V0.50
A35 V0.75

Ultimate
load (kN)

Hot-curing flexural
strength, ffa (N/mm2)

28-day flexural
strength, fb (N/mm2)

3.20
3.40
4.20
4.10
3.50
4.40
3.90
3.70
4.30
4.00

1.60
1.70
2.10
2.05
1.75
2.20
1.95
1.85
2.15
2.00

3.06
3.19
3.75
3.68
3.26
3.89
3.54
3.40
3.82
3.61

28-day flexural strength, fb

(N/ mm2)

3.9
3.8
3.7
3.6
3.5
3.4
3.3
3.2
3.1
3
1.5

1.7

1.9

2.1

2.3

2.5

Hot-curing flexural strength, ffa

(N/ mm2)
Figure 2. Hot-curing flexural strength vs. 28-day flexural strength.

simple curve fit. An existing correlation graph for compressive strength was modified so as
to arrive at the relationship between hot-cured flexural strength and 28-day flexural
strength, given by:
fb 1:384ffa 0:841:

The relationship between hot-curing flexural strength and 28-day flexural strength is
shown in Figure 2.
From the results, it is clear that flexural strength of FRC increases up to a volume
fraction of 0.5% for all aspect ratios and then starts decreasing. Hence, for FRC the
optimum dosage of steel fibers is 0.5% of the total volume of concrete. For 0.25% volume
fraction of fibers, the flexural strength shows an increase as the aspect ratio increases.
For 0.5 vol% fibers, the flexural strength shows an increase up to an aspect ratio of 25
beyond which it decreases. For an aspect ratio of 15, the gain in flexural strength is found

Downloaded from jrp.sagepub.com by Balakrishna Murthy Vallabhaneni on April 29, 2012

537

Effect of Steel Fibers on the Properties of Concrete

Table 5. Comparison of experimental and analytical results.
Mix
A0 V0
A15 V0.25
A15 V0.50
A15 V0.75
A25 V0.25
A25 V0.50
A25 V0.75
A35 V0.25
A35 V0.50
A35 V0.75

28-day flexural
strength (N/mm2) fb

(exp)

fb (cal) from
Equations (4) and (5)

3.06
3.19
3.75
3.68
3.26
3.89
3.54
3.40
3.82
3.61

fb

(cal)

3.06
3.42
3.82
3.69
3.40
3.80
3.57
3.37
3.77
3.67

/ fb

(exp)

1.00
1.07
1.02
1.00
1.04
0.98
1.01
0.99
0.99
1.02

to be 4, 23, and 20% for volume fractions of 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75%, respectively. For an
aspect ratio of 25, the gain in flexural strength is found to be 7, 27, and 16% for volume
fractions of 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75%, respectively. For an aspect ratio of 35, the gain in
flexural strength is found to be 11, 25, and 18% for volume fractions of 0.25, 0.5, and
0.75%, respectively.
Analytical Model to Predict the Flexural Strength
Based on the experimental investigations reported, an analytical model has been
developed to predict the flexural strength of FRC, considering volume fraction and aspect
ratio as parameters. By simple curve fit:
fff ffo 1:6Vf  0:00245Ar

where fff is the flexural strength of FRC, and ffo is the flexural strength of control concrete.
Equation (4) is valid up to a volume fraction of 0.5%. Flexural strength of SFRC with
varying aspect ratio and volume fraction of 0.75% is given by:
fff ffo 0:0011A2r  0:056Ar 1:2238:

Comparison of experimental results and the results obtained from the proposed
equations is presented in Table 5. It was found that a good correlation was obtained
between the experimental results and those calculated from the equations. It can be seen
that the proposed equations (4) and (5) predict the flexural strength of SFRC with greatest
accuracy.
CONCLUSION
Addition of steel fibers to plain concrete up to 0.5vol% increases its compressive and
flexural strength, but further addition does not. Addition of 0.5% of volume fraction of
fibers to plain concrete increases its compressive strength by about 14, 33, and 19% for
aspect ratios of 15, 25, and 35, respectively and further inclusion of 0.5% of volume
fraction of steel fibers increases its flexural strength by about 23, 27, and 25% for aspect

Downloaded from jrp.sagepub.com by Balakrishna Murthy Vallabhaneni on April 29, 2012

538

R. KUMUTHA

AND

K. VIJAI

ratios of 15, 25, and 35, respectively. Thus a volume fraction of 0.5% and an aspect ratio
of 25 were found to yield better compressive strength and flexural strength. Based on
experimental results, simple analytical equations were proposed to predict the compressive
and flexural strength of SFRC. The strength of concrete from the tests was compared with
the results from the developed empirical equations and the comparisons are favorable.
In addition, the relationship between hot-cured flexural strength and 28-day flexural
strength was established.

NOMENCLATURE
Ar
Vf
fck
fco
fcf
fca
fb
ffo
fff
ffa

aspect ratio of fibers

volume fraction of fibers
28-day compressive strength of concrete in N/mm2
compressive strength of control concrete in N/mm2
compressive strength of SFRC in N/mm2
accelerated compressive strength in N/mm2
28-day flexural strength of concrete in N/mm2
flexural strength of control concrete in N/mm2
flexural strength of SFRC in N/mm2
accelerated flexural strength in N/mm2
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors would like to thank Mr. S. Bharath Kumar, Mr. A. Mohamed Rafi,
Ms. M. Pappammal, and Mr. J. Shreenath for taking part in the experimental program
and the technical staff Mr. N. Elamvaluthi and Mr. R. Sureshkumar of Sona College of
Technology for their assistance in testing.
REFERENCES
1. Singh, B., Kumar, P. and Kaushik, S. K. (2001). High Performance Composites for the New Millennium,
Journal of Structural Engineering, 28(1): 1726.
2. Ganesan, N. and Shivananda, K. P. (2000). Strength and Ductility of Latex Modified Steel Fibre Reinforced
Concrete Flexural Members, Journal of Structural Engineering, 27(2): 111116.
3. Ramakrishnan, V. (1987). Materials and Properties of Fibre Reinforced Concrete. Proceedings of the
International Symposium on Fibre Reinforced Concrete, 1: 2.32.23.
4. Ganesan, N., Indira, P. V. and Santhosh Kumar, P. T. (2006). Ultimate Strength of Steel Fibre Reinforced
Self Compacting Concrete Flexural Elements, The Indian Concrete Journal.
5. IS: 9013 (1999). Method of Making, Curing and Determining Compressive Strength of Accelerated-cured
Concrete Test Specimens.

Downloaded from jrp.sagepub.com by Balakrishna Murthy Vallabhaneni on April 29, 2012