Crack-bridging and strengthening prospects of nanofibers in the cement composite – A review

Abstract

The primary objective of this review is to investigate the influence of nanofibers in the modifications of the strength characteristics of the cement composite. Cement composite is an important constituent in civil infrastructures due to its great compressive strength and constructability. The poor binding characteristics of cement composite lead to microfractures during casting, which leads to the weakening of the structure. In order to decrease the microfractures, nanofibrous materials like carbon nanofibers are employed. The incorporation of nanofibers in cement composite also increases the water resistance in buildings. Hence in this article, the use of nanofibers in diverse constructions and property enhancement approaches are examined. The incorporation of fibers in cement composite has been proven to control its fracture behavior and retain its ductility in tension. Nanofiber-reinforced cement composite was also put into practice in highway construction to withstand the bearing loads and sudden impact loads of automobiles. Recent work on nanofiber cement composite demonstrates to acquire a better toughness value and also opens the path to higher flexural strength than that of regular fiber-reinforced cement composite and plain cement composite. The performance of this composite emerges the excellent crack bridging and favored load transmission at micro-scale by the inclusion of fibers in cement composite. These nanofibers also aid in the early identification of micro-cracks and maintain cement composite compactness during the construction of a structure. The review finds that appropriately dispersed nanofibers in a cement matrix may considerably increase the cracking resistance and flexural strength of cement composite by early detection of fractures which acts as a key element in the prevention of brittle cement composite failure.