Improving the Reinforcement of Polyolefin Fiber Reinforced Concrete for Infrastructure Applications

Abstract

The increase in the use of polyolefin fiber-reinforced concrete (PFRC) is in contrast to the limited amount of published research about its fracture behavior. This study assesses the main mechanical and fracture properties of PFRC by using conventional and self-compacting concrete with various dosages. The results highlight the significant performance of PFRC and revealed that improving its residual strength for small deformations would enhance its use for structural purposes. For that matter, a combination of polyolefin and steel-hooked fibers was used, improving the results and showing synergies between the two types of fibers that could be exploited for infrastructure applications. The significance of this research is, in addition to the characterization of PFRC, the optimum selection and definition of the proportions and characteristics of the types of fibers chosen for the combination. The results proved that, by combining hooked-steel fibers and macro-polyolefin fibers, it is possible to preserve the high-performance fresh properties and obtain a reliable behavior with synergies in the fracture results. The latter provides an efficient use of the materials, as well as a better mechanical behavior in both service and failure states.

Keywords

• fiber reinforced concrete
• polyolefin fibers
• steel fibers