Title: Maximum Fiber Content and Passing Ability of Self-Consolidating Fiber-Reinforced Concrete

Author(s): S. Grunewald and J. C. Walraven

Publication: Symposium Paper

Volume: 274

Issue:

Appears on pages(s): 15-30

Keywords: flow behavior; maximum fiber content; mixture composition; passing ability; self-consolidating concrete; steel fibers

DOI: 10.14359/51664075

Date: 10/1/2010

Abstract:
Self-consolidating fiber-reinforced concrete (SCFRC) combines the benefits of self-consolidating concrete (SCC) in the fresh state and an enhanced performance of fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) in the hardened state. The application of SCC improves the efficiency at building sites, allows rationally producing prefabricated concrete elements and improves the working conditions, the quality and the aesthetical appearance of concrete structures. By adding fibers to SCC bar reinforcement can be replaced, crack widths reduced, the durability improved and the load bearing capacity of a structure increased. An extensive research study1 was carried out on the characteristics and the mix design of SCFRC that consisted of three parts: the fresh as well as the hardened state of SCFRC and the influence of the production process determined in three full-scale studies. This paper discusses two aspects of the mix design of SCFRC: the maximum fiber content and the required spacing of reinforcement at which blocking does not occur. Based on the analysis of experimental results mix design tools are proposed that allow predicting the maximum fiber content and the passing ability of SCFRC, which is essential information to obtain a homogeneous distribution of the fibers in a structure.