Title: Fiber Reinforced Cementitious Composites: Current Practice and Future Prospects

Author(s): S. Mindess and N. Banthia

Publication: Symposium Paper

Volume: 144

Issue:

Appears on pages(s): 417-446

Keywords: Ductility; durability; dynamic characteristics; dynamic loads; fiber reinforced concretes; fibers; matrix; mechanical properties; strength.

DOI: 10.14359/10047

Date: 3/1/1994

Abstract:
In current construction practice, discontinuous fibers are added to cementitious matrices at relatively low volume fractions (usually < 1 .O%), mostly in order to improve the toughness, or the post-cracking ductility, of the composite. At these addition rates, there is relatively little improvement in strength. Moreover, there are no generally accepted methods of characterizing the improvements in other mechanical properties which the fibers may impart to the concrete. As a result, the various national structural design codes do not recognize fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) as a distinct material, and this inhibits its use in structural applications. However, there is continued research on the use of fibers in conjunction with conventional continuous steel reinforcement to improve the structural behaviour of concrete. In addition, a new generation of micro-fibers is being developed, which can be used at higher addition rates to bring about major improvements in the mechanical properties of FRC. In this review, current FRC technology is described. Likely future developments of FRC are also considered, such as applications in the design of concrete structures subjected to dynamic (blast, impact or earthquake) loading. The next generation of FRC materials will have the capacity of being tailored for a wide range of specific applications, and should be able to compete with other structural materials in a variety of applications.