USE OF FIBER REINFORCED CONCRETE ON RIGID PAVEMENT

ABTRACT

This study reports an improved design for reducing the thickness of pavement using the right
proportion of fibers in the concrete. A detailed comparison is made among concrete mix with
steel fibers, with synthetic fibers and without fibers. To do this, two tests were examined in
order to determinate the peak and residual strength and maximum stress. The concrete mix
was designed according American Concrete Institute (ACI) and the tests were followed from
standard tests from American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). We find that the
compressive strength does not considerable vary with the amount of fibers, furthermore,
beams with 0.6% of steel fibers have better flexural performance than beams with synthetic
fibers and beams without fibers. The value of this approach lies in the tests are not difficult to
do. On the other hand, this approach can be applied on roads with high traffic.

INTRODUCTION

It is generally accepted that rigid pavement is more durable than flexible pavement and it does
not need periodical maintenance, however it is very expensive, due to the high thickness of
the pavement. The use of fiber reinforced concrete provides the pavement more tensile
strength, more ductility, better impact strength and larger strain; as a result we can obtain a
thinner and more durable pavement.

The use of fiber reinforced concrete on rigid pavement has been proposed initially in
Netherlands and Japan. (H. Maeno, N. Suziki, et al, 1986) In Japan, Nagoya Expressway
Public Corporation (NEPC) have used steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC) pavement in
1980’s for several ramp bridges.

Fewer researchers have addressed the problem of high thickness on rigid pavement, so the
purpose of this study is to describe the right method of reduce the thickness of the pavement
using FRC. Furthermore, this paper focuses on giving the acceptable proportions of fiber in
the concrete and the differences that exist between the steel fibers and the synthetic fibers.
 METHODOLOGY

Following this method, you can find the best option between steel fibers and synthetic fibers
to use on rigid pavement, with their respective proportions and thus reduce the thickness of
the pavement. In the majority of the tests we followed the procedure according to the ASTM
(American Society for Testing and Materials) and ACI (American Concrete Institute). These
organization suggest to do different tests when you used FRC (Fiber Reinforced Concrete).

To do this procedure, you need materials such as steel fibers, synthetic fibers, cement,
aggregates and at least the minimum equipment to mix and test concrete in both cool and
hardened condition. First, we need to design the concrete mix with and without fibers in
different proportions, these designs were made following the standard ACI 211.5R (Guide for
Submittal of Concrete Proportions), which are shown in table 1. Then the aggregates, water,
cement and fibers are mixed, in this order respectively. Immediately, we do specimens of
concrete (Cylinders and beams), these specimens are done following ASTM C 31 (Standard
Practice for Making and Curing Concrete Test Specimens in the Field), with the intention of
testing them. Furthermore we need to determine slump of the mix. For this we follow ASTM C
143 (Standard Test Method for Slump of Hydraulic-Cement Concrete). When the specimens
are dried (28 days later), in order to determinate the peak and residual strength we follow the
ASTM C 1609 (Standard test method for flexural performance of FRC) and to determinate the
maximum stress we follow the ASTM C 39 (Standard Test Method for Compressive Strength
of Cylindrical Concrete Specimens). This test will be done slowly and carefully, as the results
depend on how carefully they were performed.

In accordance with J. Murakoshi, et al, (2007).

Table 1: Concrete proportions for the mix.

COARSE FINE
MATERIALS % FIBER/m3 WATER CEMENT FIBER TOTAL
AGG. AGG.
WITHOUT FIBERS
WEIGHT (Kg) 0.00 205.88 386.79 1006.60 693.08 0.00 2292.36
SYNTHETIC FIBERS (BarChip 54)
0.3 205.87 386.79 1001.97 689.90 2.70 2287.23
WEIGHT (Kg) 0.6 205.87 386.79 997.34 686.71 5.40 2282.11
0.9 205.87 386.79 992.71 683.52 8.10 2276.99
STEEL FIBERS (HIT Fibers)
0.3 205.87 386.79 1001.97 689.90 23.55 2308.08
WEIGHT (Kg) 0.6 205.87 386.79 997.34 686.71 47.10 2323.81
0.9 205.87 386.79 992.71 683.52 70.65 2339.54
 RESULT

The main purpose of this work was to determine the optimal proportion of fibers to reduce the
thickness of the pavement and also we sought to saw the behavior of steel and synthetic fibers
on the concrete.

In general, the results obtained from the tests were as we expected. Beams with steel fibers
have better flexural performance than beams with synthetic fibers.

Flexural Performance
40
35
30
Load (KN)

25
20
15
10
5
0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5
Net Deflection (mm)

Without fiber 0.6 % Synthetic Fibers 0.6% Steel fibers

Graphic 1: Load-Net Deflection results for concrete reinforced.

According to graphic 1 of load vs. net deflection, we can say the beam with 0.6% of steel fibers
supported 5.6 % and 16.9 % more load than beam with 0.6% of synthetic and beams without
fibers respectively, at the peak load. On the other hand, the beam with 0.6% of steel fibers
supported 9.7 % and 36.0 % more residual load than beam with 0.6% of synthetic and beams
without fibers respectively, at net deflection of L/150 (3.0 mm).

Compressive Stress
250
Stress (Kg/cm2)

200
150
100
50
0
0 0.3 0.6 0.9
% Fiber/m3

Synthetic Fibers Steel Fibers

Graphic 2: Results for reinforced concrete with different proportions of fibers under uniaxial compression.
The variation in strength of compression is not so considerable when we used fibers. It can
be seen in graphic 2.

These results are consistent with the results obtained by Jun Murakoshi in Japan (2008). In
his research on steel fiber reinforced concrete pavement for orthotropic steel deck as a
countermeasure for fatigue.

Figure 2: Slump on concrete mix without fibers. Figure 1: Slump on concrete mix with 1kg/m3 of fibers.

Comparing figure 1 and figure 2, we can see the slump difference between concrete mix with
and without fibers.

SLUMP
12
10
Slump (cm)

8
6
Synthetic Fibers
4
Steel Fibers
2
0
0 0.3 0.6 0.9
% Fiber/m3

Graphic 3: Results of slump tests.

When we used fibers on the concrete, it is inevitable to reduce the workability (evidence for
this is in graphic 3), however it can be attenuate with the use of additives.

Future works should test the fissure performance.

 CONCLUSION

The present paper deals with finding the correct proportion of concrete mix with fibers to
reduce the thickness of the pavement and to choose the more adequate fibers between steel
fibers and synthetic fibers. In this study, we tested the flexural performance and the
compressive strength in order to determinate the peak and residual strength and maximum
stress.

We found that the compressive strength does not considerable vary with the amount of fibers.
It could not have been considerable varied, due to the fibers only work under stresses of
tensile. In addition, beams with 0.6% of steel fibers have better flexural performance than
beams with synthetic fibers and beams without fibers. It might be the design with 0.8% of fibers
on concrete mix could be achievable, it will depend on the traffic load for which the road is
designed. These findings extend those of Murakoshi, confirming that concrete mix with steel
fibers have a good flexural performance (J. Murakoshi, et al, 2008).

Most notably, the tests are not difficult to do. Moreover, the majority of concrete laboratories
have the necessary equipment.

Nevertheless, evaluate the fissure behavior is not easy to do. Future work should test the
fissure performance and thus be able to apply this study on roads with high traffic.
 REFERENCES

ACI, Standard Guide for Submittal of Concrete Proportions, ACI 211.5R, Historical Standard
|Developed by Committee: ACI 211|2014.

ASTM C31 / C31M-17, Standard Practice for Making and Curing Concrete Test Specimens in
the Field, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2017.

ASTM C143 / C143M-15a, Standard Test Method for Slump of Hydraulic-Cement Concrete,
ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2015.

ASTM C1609 / C1609M-12, Standard Test Method for Flexural Performance of Fiber-
Reinforced Concrete (Using Beam With Third-Point Loading), ASTM International, West
Conshohocken, PA, 2012.

ASTM C39 / C39M-17b, Standard Test Method for Compressive Strength of Cylindrical
Concrete Specimens, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 2017.

H. Maeno, N. Suzuki, et al, (1986). Pavement on Steel Deck by Use of Steel Fiber Reinforced
Concrete. Concrete Journal, Vol.24, No.5, Japan

J. Murakoshi, et al, (2008). Research on Steel Fibre Reinforced Concrete Pavement for
Orthotropic Steel Deck as a Countermeasure for Fatigue