Effects of incorporating fibres on mechanical properties of fibre-reinforced concrete: A review

Abstract

For a decade, attempts have been made to induce ductility into concrete; fibre-reinforced concrete is one such attempt. Adding fibres to concrete enhances the material's post-cracking strength due to the bridging effect of the fibres. In tunneling, fibres are preferred over reinforcement because they provide all-around reinforcement for the concrete and lessen the risk of concrete spalling. Different types of fibres exist, like steel, glass, polypropylene, and more. However, more research are conducted on steel fibre-reinforced concrete among the mentioned fibres. Steel fibre has various effects on the strength and properties of concrete. The impact of steel fibres on the mechanical characteristics of fibre-reinforced concrete is governed by a number of factors, including fibre geometry, fibre content, fibre orientation, and fibre distribution. Adding fibres reduces the workability of concrete but increases its hardening properties. Fibres enhanced the compressive strength of concrete marginally up to the optimal fibre content. Nevertheless, the flexure and splitting tensile strength increased linearly with increased fibre content. Some researchers noted that fibres oriented perpendicular to the crack arrests the crack more effectively than those oriented parallel to the crack. The literature evaluation indicates that more experimental and analytical research is required to create a technique that controls the orientation and distribution of fibres in concrete. Future research directions are also highlighted in this article for improving concrete's mechanical and structural characteristics via fibre-reinforced concrete.