Recycled Steel Fibers Research Articles

Dynamic compressive behavior of environmentally friendly high-strength concrete: Experimental investigation and modelling

In this study, the mechanical properties of rubber powder and recycled steel fiber made from waste tires as fine aggregate and reinforced fiber of environmentally friendly high strength concrete (E-HSC) were investigated, especially the dynamic response of E-HSC under dynamic loading. The failure mode, stress-strain curve and energy dissipation capacity of E-HSC were investigated with different rubber powder replacement rates (0%, 5%, 20%, 35%, 50%) and different RSF volume fractions (1%, 2%, 3%) by using a separated Hopkinson pressure bar with a diameter of 100 mm. Additionally, the environmental benefits of E-HSC were assessed through carbon emission evaluation. Results indicated that rubber powder and RSFs enhanced the compressive ductility of high-strength concrete. With an increase in the ratio of rubber powder replacement, the static compressive strength of E-HSC decreased, the strain rate sensitivity of E-HSC significantly increased, while the dynamic toughness of E-HSC was notably improved. The failure modes of E-HSC under impact loading changed with increasing rubber content, showing an increase in crack quantity and severity of fragmentation. The influence of RSF content on the strain rate sensitivity of E-HSC's dynamic failure mode and toughness were not significant. A viscoelastic correction model considering impact damage was proposed, which can effectively describe the stress-strain behavior of E-HSC under impact loading across various strain rates. Furthermore, E-HSC demonstrated lower carbon emission indicators compared to traditional high-strength concrete.

Performance of Self-Compacting Concrete Containing Recycled Aggregates and Recycled Steel Fibers

Since the inception of self-compacting concrete, there has been a growing interest in integrating waste materials into its composition. This study explores the performance of self-compacting concrete and fibered self-compacting concrete, incorporating recycled aggregates sourced from the demolition and crushing of previously tested specimens. Additionally, it investigates the influence of steel fibers, both of commercial origin and those recycled from waste tires. The analysis spans both the fresh and hardened states, encompassing twelve concrete mixtures to assess workability (through measurements such as slump flow, T500, and L-BOX), segregation resistance, compressive strength, and flexural strength. Furthermore, the durability of these concrete mixtures is evaluated by examining mass loss and compressive strength after 56 days of exposure to acidic environments (HCl and H2SO4). The study is organized into three distinct series of concrete mixtures. The first series explores concrete without any fiber additives, focusing on replacing filler limestone with recycled concrete powder and/or substituting coarse aggregates with recycled concrete aggregates. In the second series, commercial fibers are introduced at a dosage of 30 kg/m³. The third series replaces the commercial fibers with recycled fibers with hooked ends. The assessment of the hardened state reveals enhanced mechanical properties in the case of fibered self-compacting concrete (compressive strength increased by more than 9%, and flexural strength increased by more than 8%). Notably, the results highlight that recycled aggregates exhibit improved resistance to HCl acid attack. Interestingly, the replacement of commercial fibers with recycled fibers does not substantially affect the concrete's resistance to acid exposure.

Experimental and numerical analysis of tunnel primary support using recycled, and hybrid fiber reinforced shotcrete

Shotcrete plays a pivotal role in the construction of tunnels and underground structures; however, its inherent brittleness necessitates reinforcement to enhance ductility. This research explores the use of fiber-reinforced shotcrete as primary tunnel support to enhance ductility and reduce brittleness. Traditional steel mesh reinforcement complexities have led to the investigation of alternative materials. The research evaluates different fiber mix designs, including industrial steel, recycled steel fibers from tires, and Forta fibers, examining their strength parameters and deformation performance. A 3D finite element model is used to simulate a horseshoe-shaped tunnel with optimal mix design and plain shotcrete in a soil environment. The study finds that hybrid industrial and recycled fibers are more effective than single fibers, enhancing compressive, tensile, and flexural strength and reducing ground surface settlement and tensile damage. The optimal mix design of this study has increased compressive, tensile, and flexural strength, as well as flexural toughness, compared to plain shotcrete. Numerical modeling reveals that utilizing fiber reinforced shotcrete made out of optimal fiber mix design as primary support results in a significant reduction in ground surface settlement and tensile damage value. Furthermore, the study shows a significant reduction in the damaged zone area under tensile stresses. The results of the study highlight the potential of fiber reinforced shotcrete as a primary support for tunnels, leading to improved performance and sustainability in tunnel construction.

Experimental Study on the Mechanical Properties of Recycled Spiral Steel Fiber-Reinforced Rubber Concrete

Recycled rubber (RR) and recycled spiral steel fiber (RSSF) were added to plain concrete (PC) to prepare recycled spiral steel fiber rubber concrete (SSFRC) with matrix strengths of C30, C40, and C50. Strength tests on the PC, rubber concrete (RC), and SSFRC were carried out, including the cube compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, and flexural strength. The effects of RSSF and RR on the mechanical properties of concrete were analyzed. Simultaneously, the stress–strain curve of the SSFRC was obtained through axial compressive testing, and the toughness of SSFRC was evaluated by three indexes: the tensile compression ratio, bending compression ratio, and toughness index. The results show that adding RR to PC results in a decrease in the mechanical properties of concrete with different matrix strengths, and the addition of RSSF can make up for the strength loss of the rubber. The mechanical strength of SSFRC with different matrix strengths increased first and then decreased with the increase in RSSF content. The cubic compressive strength reached its peak value when the content of RSSF was 1%, and the splitting tensile strength and flexural strength reach their peak values when the content of RSSF was 1.5%. RSSF works best with rubber particles at the right dosage to further increase the toughness of the concrete. When the rubber content is 10%, and the RSSF content is 1.5%, the mechanical strength enhancement effect of SSFRC is at its best, and the toughness is also at its best.

Influence of recycled steel fiber on the properties of self-compacting concrete with high fly ash content


 
 
 The recycled steel fibers from waste steel cables have properties suitable for enhancing the load-bearing capacity, impact resistance, and shrinkage reduction of Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC). The use of a high content of fly ash in SCC reduces production costs and is environment friendly by minimizing the amount of cement in the mix. This article presents the experimental research results on the influence of the content of recycled steel fibers on the properties of high-fly-ash SCC. The research utilized recycled steel fibers from elevator steel cables with volume percentages of 0%, 0.5%, 1% and 1.5% respectively in SCC, with a fly ash content in the SCC mix of 50% by volume of powder. The evaluated properties included workability, plastic shrinkage, drying shrinkage compressive strength, and tensile strength. The results indicate that using recycled steel fibers with a maximum content of 1% enables the production of SCC that meets European standards for workability. In addition, when comparing SCC with 0.5% and 1% recycled steel fiber content to control SCC samples (without steel fibers), the compressive strength of SCC increased by 5.04% and 7.56% respectively, the tensile strength increased by 2.99% and 5.97% respectively, plastic shrinkage decreased by 27.34% and 30.47% respectively, and 28-day drying shrinkage decreased by 3.2% and 4.6% respectively. Using recycled steel fibers combined with high-volume fly ash is a reasonable solution to save production costs and be environmentally friendly. Additionally, this solution not only improves the compressive and tensile strength but also limits plastic and drying shrinkage deformations of SCC. As a result, the durability of SCC is enhanced.
 
 

Sustainable design and carbon-credited application framework of recycled steel fibre reinforced concrete

Waste tires pose significant environmental, health, and fire risks. Creative waste management solutions, including reuse, recycle and repurpose, are necessary to mitigate those impacts while enriching their valorisation. An innovative solution is the upcycling of recycled steel fibre (RSF) from waste tires to enhance strength and durability of concrete. This study thus experimentally examines dynamic and mechanical behaviours of high-strength concrete with varying proportions of RSF, from 0% to 1.2% by volume. The results reveal that high-strength concrete with 1.2% RSF exhibits the best improvement in strengths. In addition, the damping ratio, dynamic modulus of RSF concrete and SEM images confirm valorisation potentials of waste fibres. Via a robust critical lifecycle analysis, the new insights form a new sustainable design and carbon credited application framework for RSF. Our results portray that innovative recycling practices for end-of-life tires yield substantial environmental benefits, including a significant carbon emission reduction.

Effect of waste tire products on some characteristics of roller-compacted concrete

Abstract Roller-compacted concrete pavement (RCCP) is one of the most durable, economical, and practical solutions for the construction of roads for various heavy-duty purposes. To make RCCP more sustainable, different waste materials have been utilized. These materials were densified silica fume (SF), ground granulated blast furnace slag (S), crumb rubber (CR), and recycled steel fibers (RSFs) from waste tires. The weight percentages of replacement for SF and S from cement were 5, and 27.5%, respectively. CR was utilized as a volumetric replacement of sand with 0, 2, 5, and 10%. As a volumetric addition of concrete, RSF with 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6% was utilized. Water content was 6% for all mixtures. The impact resistance test was performed to evaluate the behavior of RCCP to the repeated load on roads. Also, ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) (nondestructive) and abrasion resistance tests were performed to validate roller-compacted concrete (RCC) as pavement. There is a substantial increase in impact energy by using 10% of CR and 0.6% of RSF, compared with that of reference specimens. The use of CR and RSF can improve the abrasion resistance of RCC, and this can ensure its applications in pavements. The relationships between impact, abrasion, and UPV were established, and models have been proposed to predict these relationships.

Possibility of production high strength lightweight concrete containing organic waste aggregate and recycled steel fibers

Abstract This study combines two types of waste materials to achieve sustainable lightweight concrete (LWC) including agricultural and industrial wastes that hold high potential to reduce global environmental pollution. A novel application of 35% treated date seed (DS) wastes as partially replaced by volume to natural coarse aggregate in producing sustainable LWC was investigated. Calcium hydroxide solution was utilized as a treatment to extract cellulose from the achieved hemicelluloses of the DS. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was utilized to analyze the structural characteristics of the isolated cellulosic samples before and after treatment. Then different volume fractions of steel fibers (0.5, 0.75, and 1%) recycled from scrap tires were added to the LWC with 35% DS. Several experimental tests, including slump test, compressive strength, oven-dry density, split tensile strength, flexural strength, and water penetration depth, were carried out in this investigation. The results demonstrate that concrete containing 35% DS and reinforced with 1% recycled steel fibers show enhancement in the compressive, tensile, and flexural strengths by about 15.2, 32.6, and 58.2%, respectively, and reduces the permeability by 16.1% relative to the reference concrete mixture.

MIXED MODE FRACTURE OF THE GEOPOLYMER COMPOSITES REINFORCED WITH RECYCLED STEEL FIBERS

For the fiber-reinforced composites, strength-based criteria alone may fail to evaluate the bending response due to the long tail of the load-displacement curve. Hence, the fracture characterization of fibered composites has gained great attention worldwide. In this study, the mixed-mode fracture performance of the recycled steel fiber-reinforced geopolymer concrete was examined experimentally. The main test parameters were the amount of steel fibers (0 and 2% by mass) and the offset ratios of the edge notch (β = 0, 0.2, and 0.4). Several notched prisms were produced and tested under a deformation-controlled three-point bending test. Deformation maps on the surface of the specimens were derived through the digital image correlation method. Experimental results were discussed concerning the first cracking load, ultimate load, critical crack mouth opening displacement, critical crack mouth sliding displacement, and fracture energy. Based on the experimental findings, it can be stated that the peak flexural loads were increased by 666%, 1327%, and 400%, respectively for the 0, 0.2, and 0.4 notch offset ratios due to the use of recycled steel fiber. The fracture energies of the plain specimens were proportional to the notch offset ratio, but they fluctuated for the fiber-reinforced specimens because of the uneven distribution of fibers.

Structural behavior of RC jointed beams using recycled steel fiber and hybrid dowel bars

Structural behavior of RC jointed beams using recycled steel fiber and hybrid dowel bars

EFFECT OF USING WASTE FIBERS ON THE STRENGTH PROPERTIES OF SUSTAINABLE REACTIVE POWDER CONCRETE

A bulk volume of waste tires, an underrated global resource, is disposed of in landfills worldwide. Extracting recycled steel fibers from these tires is an evolving trend nowadays. Reactive-Powder Concrete (RPC), the most recent generation of concrete produced in the early 1990s and possessing extremely high mechanical strength criteria, is a modified form of high-performance Concrete. This study looked into how the type and volume proportion of new and waste steel fibers affected the compressive, flexural, and impact strengths 
 of RPC when it was curried at high temperatures. Steel fibers (new and waste tire fibers) with volume fractions of 1%, 1.5%, and 2% were used to create RPC. It was clear that increasing the amount of steel fiber had a beneficial effect on compressive, flexural, and impact strengths. Also, the results showed that the outcomes of RPC having steel fibers sourced from end-of-life tires are similar to those of industrial steel fibers.

Experimental investigation of rubberized concrete slab-on-grade containing tire-recycled steel fibers

The current study investigates the role of recycled steel fiber (RSF) and crumb rubber (CR) in the fracture behavior of rubberized reinforced concrete (RRC) slab-on-grade in terms of load–deflection responses, crack patterns, failure loads, deflection values, and toughness. RRC slab-on-grade measuring 1000 m × 1000 mm with a thickness of 60 mm were tested experimentally, and the soil was simulated with a steel model. The main parameters were the incorporation of CR as fine aggregate (i.e., 0%, 10%, and 20%) in the presence of RSF (0 and 0.5% by vol). The findings showed that a significant increase in the initial crack load of RRC slabs as compared to the reference slab, as well as slabs incorporated with high volumes of CR, showed favorable findings in post-cracking capacity and toughness compared to the reference slab. The incorporation of CR with 05% RSF can enhance the failure cracking load of concrete slabs by 12.79% (10%) and 20.97% (20%) at the center of the slab. The reference slab-on-grade failure load reached 43.0 kN, while the failure loads for the slabs containing 10% and 20% CR were 43.0 kN and 38.70 kN, respectively, without the addition of RSF. It was noticed that the slab deflection increased by 12.28% and 20.13%, respectively, compared to the reference slab. Finally, the slabs incorporating 0.5% RSF and 20% CR achieved a maximum failure load of 52.03 kN, which was attained because of additional microcracks forming closer to the loaded region, which enhanced the ductility of the slab-on-grade. Hence, the RSF and CR can be used to produce sustainable slab-on-grade with enhanced ductility, leading to a reduced overall cost and saving natural resources.

Impact Resistance of Rubberized Alkali-Activated Concrete Incorporating Recycled Aggregate and Recycled Steel Fiber

Alkali-activated concrete (AAC) features excellent mechanical properties and sustainability. The incorporation of crumb rubber (CR), recycled concrete aggregates (RCAs), and recycled steel fibers (RSFs) can further enhance environmental sustainability. This paper mainly investigated the dynamic behaviors of a novel rubberized AAC incorporating RCAs and RSFs (RuAAC) through Split-Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) tests. The variables included three types of RSF content (1%, 2% and 3%), five types of rubber content (0%, 5%, 20%, 35% and 50%) and five impact pressures (0.5 MPa, 0.6 MPa, 0.7 MPa, 0.8 MPa and 0.9 MPa). Dynamic stress–strain curves, dynamic strength, the dynamic increase factor (DIF), impact toughness and the synergistic effects of RSF and CR were discussed. The results show that increasing RSF and CR contents could improve the impact resistance of RuAAC under impact loading. The RuAAC exhibited significant strain rate sensitivity, and the sensitivity increased with larger contents of RSF and CR. The increase in strain rate sensitivity was more pronounced with higher CR contents, which was reflected in larger dynamic increase factor (DIF) values. Under high impact pressure, the impact toughness was obviously enhanced with higher RSF contents, while the contribution of increased CR content to impact toughness was not apparent, which may be attributed to the fact that this study only calculated the integral under the dynamic stress–strain curve before the peak stress to determine impact toughness, neglecting the potential contribution of CR particles after the peak point. The obvious strain sensitivity exhibited by the RuAAC in the SHPB tests indicated superior impact performance, making it particularly suitable for architectural structures prone to seismic or explosive impacts.

Effect of combination between hybrid fibers and rubber aggregate on rheological and mechanical properties of self-compacting concrete

Rubber aggregate recycled from waste tires are added to self-compacting concrete to improve some of its properties, such as durability, toughness, and concrete resistance to impact and vibrations. In this study, modified hybrid rubberized self-compacting concrete (SCC) was produced by utilization of recycled tire rubber aggregate, plastic waste (PET), and steel fibers. Rubber was used as a partial substitute for sand, with only 10%, while the fibers were utilized in two different proportions of 0.25% and 0.35% (volume). Several tests were achieved to evaluate the rheological properties of the modified hybrid fiber rubberized SCC such as slump flow, T500, V-funnel, L-box, and segregation resistance. In addition, the hardened properties such as density, compressive, tensile strengths, and modulus of elasticity were evaluated. Microstructural evaluation of rubberized mixes was conducted. The results showed that the addition of rubber aggregate at 10% content reduces the rheological properties of SCC. The T500 mm was influenced significantly up to 15% increase. Moreover, compressive strength decreased by about 14% at same amount of rubber aggregate, while the addition of hybrid fibers improves the mechanical properties despite the negative effect on the rheological properties of rubberized SCC. The tensile strengths increased significantly by the inclusion of 0.35% hybrid fibers. The positive action of the two types of fibers led to this increase. The combination of rubber aggregate and the hybrid fibers in SCC could affect its mechanical properties positively by balancing the weakness in strength due to the lack in of bonding between rubber aggregate and cement paste and to avoid the severe deterioration in tensile strength, improve the ductility, and enhance the energy absorption capacity, especially for members subjected to earthquake effects.

Effect of elevated temperatures on behaviour of recycled steel and polypropylene fibre reinforced ultra-high performance concrete under dynamic splitting tension

This paper investigates the dynamic splitting resistance of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) incorporating recycled steel (RS) and polyethene (PP) fibres at various temperatures (i.e., 20, 200, 400, 600, 800 °C) and strain rates (i.e., 2.3−7.2 s−1). A series of tests are performed to evaluate the compressive strength, elastic modulus, uniaxial tensile strength, dynamic splitting properties and microstructural characteristics of UHPC at elevated temperatures. Results reveal that the maximum compressive strength, elastic modulus and uniaxial tensile strength of UHPC appear at 400 °C due to the promoted hydration of unhydrated clinkers at elevated temperatures. When the temperature increases from 20 °C to 400 °C, the dynamic splitting strength and dissipated energy of UHPC under the strain rate range of 6.8–7.2 s−1 increases by 30.9 % and 124.2 %, respectively. However, an opposite trend occurs with the dynamic splitting properties of UHPC decreasing with elevated temperatures of 400–800 °C, and accordingly the dynamic increase factor at 800 °C is only 61.8−73.7 % of that at room temperature. The synergistic effect of RS and PP fibre on the impact resistance of UHPC at elevated temperatures can be explained by: (i) the enhanced pore connectivity by PP fibres prevents explosive spalling of UHPC at elevated temperatures; (ii) the bridging and pull-out effects of RS fibres improve residual dynamic properties of UHPC after high-temperature exposure.

Influence of Using Various Types of Steel Fibers of Recycled Concrete Aggregates on the Shear Behavior of RC Beams

This study aims to determine the efficiency of concrete containing multiple recycled materials, recycled concrete aggregates (RCAs) and recycled steel fibers (RSFs), and compare it with conventional concrete. Natural coarse aggregate (NCA) in the concrete mix was partially replaced with 30% RCA to achieve a target compressive strength of 30 MPa after 28 days. Different types of fibers (steel fibers, RSFs, and mixed fibers) were added at varying percentages (1.0%, 1.5%, and 2.0%) to improve the mechanical properties of the concrete mixes. The shear behavior of reinforced concrete beams containing RCA and different types of fibers was investigated. Ten concrete mixtures were designed, and 10 reinforced concrete beams were tested under a two‐point load to estimate the contribution of various fiber types to the shear resistance. The results indicate that the addition of different types of fibers significantly enhances compressive, tensile, and flexural strengths of the concrete. Specifically, the improvement in compressive strength for RSFs was 38.9% at 1.5%, tensile strength improved by 21.1%, and flexural strength by 46.2% at the same fiber percentage, thereby improving the concrete’s ability to resist cracks through an increase in shear resistance.

Application of Recycled Steel Fibre in Malaysia: A Review

The amount of waste tyres is expected to increase with the surge of vehicle ownership in Malaysia as tyres are vehicle vital components that require regular replacement. The improper disposal of waste tyres has generated environmental issues. Energy recovery through burning, recycling, and disposal in legal and illegal landfills are common methods in disposing of waste tyres in Malaysia. Studies show that waste tyres contain steel fibre that can be extracted and has the potential to be used in construction. In Malaysia, existing methods of material recovery are shredding and pyrolysis. The steel retrieved from waste tyres exhibits good adhesion with mechanical strength recorded up to 2165 MPa and a modulus of 300. However, the uneven shape, length, and geometry can lead to a balling effect when incorporated into concrete but with a proper mix proportion this issue can be managed. Addition of recycled steel fibre to concrete can enhance its structural strength and crack-bridging effect while the use of recycled steel fibre in hot mix asphalt can enhance its tensile strength and toughness. The utilisation of steel recovered from waste tyres presents an opportunity to address environmental concerns related to waste tyre disposal and its potential applications.

Evaluation of environmental and economic compatibility of different types of segment linings based on the structural performance with some aggravating factors

The performance of supporting systems can be significantly affected by aggravating factors that contribute to segmental tunnel lining damage. Based on previous studies and statistical data, the excessive thrust force and defect in support conditions are the crucial factors that can aggravate the damage of segmental linings during the installation stage. This study aims to evaluate the effect of influential factors, including the excessive thrust force, the incomplete contact of loading shoes, configuration of loading shoes, defect gap thickness, and segment type. In addition, a series of numerical simulation are performed to investigate the impact of the influential factors on the performance of three different segmental lining types, including conventional reinforced concrete segment, recycled steel fiber reinforced concrete segment, and new hybrid design recycled steel fiber reinforced concrete segment. The results indicated that numerical modeling can accurately simulate stress concentration and damage patterns of segmental lining in different conditions. This method can provide useful information about the performance of segmental tunnel linings, considering essential phenomena that are neglected in traditional design methods, such as the effect of incomplete contact of the support area, and the thickness of circumferential gap. Numerical analysis of segmental tunnel lining behavior by considering different conditions can help reduce undesirable consequences and construction costs. The results indicated that the increase in the thickness of the gap significantly increase in crack opening and destructive damages. While, the configuration of the loading shoes affects the amount of crack openings, the number and position of these cracks; the effect of this parameter is very lower compared to the presence of defects in the supporting area. Finally, it was concluded that the hybrid design showed high efficiency for all investigated conditions, in terms of structural performance, environmental impact and economic compatibility.

Sustainable design framework for enhancing shear capacity in beams using recycled steel fiber-reinforced high-strength concrete

According to a recent estimate, over 1.5 billion wasted tyres which containing over 40% of vulcanised rubber and 15% of steel fibre are discarded yearly, which posing a serious threat to circular economy implementation and transition to net zero. To minimise the greenhouse gas(GHG) emission and the environmental side effect caused by burning and burying these waste tyres, recycling and reusing these materials for sustainable structural designs has become the centre of attention. This paper focuses on applying recycled bead steel fibre to improve the shear capacity of fibre-reinforced concrete beams. Moreover, the existing national standard known as Eurocode 2 and TR63 can hardly illustrate the relationship between fibre and high-strength concrete. This study is the first to investigate shear behaviours of high-strength industrial and recycled steel fibre reinforced concrete beams with consideration of different shear span ratios. Therefore, twenty real-scale beams are constructed to examine the shear capacity of high-strength industrial and recycled steel-fibre reinforced concrete beams, which aims to compare the improvement of shear strength through experiments and identify different shear strength improvements of the two categories of steel fibre. Besides, comprehensive data of 164 beams from previous studies have been collected to benchmark with the experimental results for the formula design. This study proves the feasibility of replacing industrial steel with recycled steel fibre to improve the shear capacity of fibre-reintroduced concrete beams. Moreover, there are six novel equations designed developed using Eurocode 2 and TR63 as a basis in this study. Based on the findings of the paper, the proposed formulas demonstrate remarkable accuracy, with an average value of 0.982 and standard deviation of 0.213, respectively. Following an exhaustive comparison of RSF and ISF reinforced concrete beams, with a focus on economic expenditure and GHG emissions, it can be concluded that RSF offers superior economic and environmental benefits, which reduce the emissions up to 25.39% and price up to 28.04% when replacing ISF 0.8% RSF, respectively.

Experimental Study on Flexural Performance of Recycled Steel Fiber Concrete Beams

We sorted the waste from mechanical processing to form recycled steel fibers. In order to study the flexural mechanical properties of reinforced concrete beams after the addition of recycled steel fibers, four recycled steel fiber concrete beams (RSFCBs) and one normal concrete beam (NCB) were designed and poured using the volume fraction of steel fibers (0%, 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, 2%) as the variables. Normal section bending tests were conducted on them under a concentrated load. We obtained experimental data such as the cracking load, ultimate load, mid-span deflection, and steel and concrete strain of the beam by gradually loading the test beam, and we observed and recorded the development of cracks. The results indicate that the NCB exhibits crushing failure, while the RSFCBs exhibit equilibrium failure. The addition of recycled steel fibers effectively controls the extension of cracks, resulting in a better bending toughness of the beam. The bending performance of RSFCBs with different volume additions shows a trend of first increasing and then decreasing with the increase in steel fiber content. The peak value was reached when the steel fiber content was 1.5%, which increased the bending bearing capacity by 54.72% compared with the NCB. With the increase in steel fiber content, the required load value for tensile steel bars to yield also increases, reaching a peak at a content of 1.5%, which increases the bending bearing capacity by 44.64% compared with the NCB. The addition of recycled steel fibers enables the beam to improve its bearing capacity while limiting the development of longitudinal reinforcement strain, allowing the longitudinal reinforcement to yield under higher loads and improving the overall bending performance of the beam.