Testing of fiber-reinforced concretes
Reinforcing bars or reinforcing steel meshes (reinforcements) are usually inserted in the concrete used for conventional structural components in order to improve the tensile strength. Steel fiber-reinforced concrete is characterized by the fact that steel fibers are added to the fresh concrete in an exactly calculated quantity.
The steel fibers are strongly bonded in the cement paste (structure) during the curing process of the concrete. The result is a remarkably higher compressive strength and in particular concerning the flexural load an extremely higher „working capacity“ as well as a remarkable decrease of crack formation.
Steel fibers are manufactured in a variety of types and geometries. Fiber-reinforced concretes are typically applied for industrial floors, traffic areas/concrete roads, basement floors, retaining walls, precast elements (pipes) and in tunnel construction as steel fiber- reinforced shotcrete...
