Highlighting of the distribution effect of steel hook fibers at low and high dosage on the flexural strength of self-compacting mortars

Abstract

In this paper, the distribution effect of low and high dosage steel hooked fibers on the flexural strength and mechanical behaviour of self-compacting mortars is investigated. Specimens were shaped so as to distribute the steel hooked fibers in three layers at different dosage (volume fraction of 0.25%, 0.40% and 0.50% respectively for each layer). The obtained results show that the mechanical behaviour in flexural and the flexural strength of the reinforced self-consolidating mortars were significantly influenced and directly depending on the fibers distribution per layer. This finding clearly shows the importance of the steel fibers distribution in the cement matrix during implementation has a major influence on the mechanical behaviour of mortars reinforced with metal fibers. The maximum value recorded is 14.5 MPa for the high dosage. The distribution of the steel fibers by layer made it possible to obtain a strength gain of 71.83% at low dosage and more than 100% at high dosage.