The possibility of incorporating scrap tire residue into concrete has already been consolidated in previous studies, but there is a knowledge gap about how concrete made with recycled tire materials behaves when exposed to high temperatures. This study aims to investigate the performance of precast concrete panels made with scrap tire residues when exposed to fire when using recycled steel fiber and recycled rubber aggregates separately. The experimental design consisted of fire resistance tests. Real-scale panels were exposed to the standard fire curve based on ISO 834, measuring the temperatures on the panel surfaces. The recycled steel fiber-reinforced concrete and those containing 5% recycled rubber aggregate presented similar behavior when compared to the conventional concrete on thermal insulation, integrity, and structural stability. The concrete made with 10% recycled rubber aggregate registered the occurrence of explosive spalling and worse thermal insulation and integrity.

The evaluation of the mechanical properties of steel fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC) with different types of fibers and dosages endorses new design recommendations for using several types of construction materials for structural elements. The double-punch test (DPT) offers procedural and economic advantages for evaluating the indirect tensile strength of the SFRC. The objective of this paper is to show and discuss the results of the mechanical characterization obtained experimentally for SFRC using the DPT, with different types of anchorage and fiber dosages. The variables of the study were the dosage of steel fibers (20, 40, and 60 kg/m3) and the number of hooks at the ends of the fiber (1, 1.5, and 2 hooks). The paper develops empirical models for predicting the tensile strength, residual strength, and toughness of SFRC subjected to the DPT without resorting to experimental tests. The models were developed considering the trends of 385 results: 108 from 40 DPTs measured in this study, and 277 from 23 DPTs available in the literature.

This study investigated the friction shear behavior of concrete consisting of recycled aggregates and natural reinforced steel fibers. The concrete’s natural aggregates were 50% substituted for recycled ones. The addition of steel fibers was evaluated in two different percentages in volume: 0.5 and 1.0%. Thus, 27 non-cracked push-off specimens were produced. The recycled aggregates were separated into two groups according to the strength of the original concrete: Group 1 (15 to 20 MPa) and Group 2 (35 to 40 MPa). Data analysis showed that the concrete’s original strength and steel fiber percentage influenced the shear transfer capacity. Experimental data from natural concrete (NC) and high-strength concrete (HSC) with steel fibers tests performed using the push-off model and shear test methods were recompiled from the technical literature. Using models proposed by some researchers, it was concluded that both methods showed high dispersion in results.

This study investigated the structural behavior of lightweight self-consolidating concrete (LWSCC) beams strengthened with engineered cementitious composite (ECC). Four LWSCC beams were strengthened at either the compression or tension zone using two types of ECC developed with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers or steel fibers (SFs). Three beams were also cast in full depth with LWSCC, ECC with PVA, and ECC with SFs, for comparison. The performance of all tested beams was evaluated based on loaddeflection response, cracking behavior, failure mode, first crack load, ultimate load, ductility, and energy absorption capacity. The flexural ultimate capacity of the tested beams was also estimated theoretically and compared to the experimental results. The results indicated that adding the ECC layer at the compression zone of the beam helped the LWSCC beams to sustain a higher ultimate loading, accompanied with obvious increases in the ductility and energy absorption capacity. Higher increases in the flexural capacity were exhibited by the beams strengthened with the ECC layer at the tension zone. Placing the ECC layer at the tension zone also contributed to controlling the formation of cracks, ensuring better durability for structural members. Using ECC with SFs yielded higher flexural capacity in beams compared to using ECC with PVA fibers. The study also indicated that the flexural capacity of single-layer and/or hybrid composite beams was conservatively estimated by the ACI ultimate strength design method and the Henager and Doherty model. More improvements in the Henager and Doherty model’s estimates were observed when the tensile stress of fibrous concrete was obtained experimentally.

Engineered cementitious composites (ECC) are special fiber-reinforced cementitious composites with outstanding performance. However, the high cost and unavailability of the special sand (that is, microsilica sand [MSS]) used as the aggregate for such composites have limited its use and even made it impractical in some geographical locations. Therefore, there is a dire need to find alternative materials that can be used to replace MSS in ECC. This study was carried out to investigate the feasibility of using recycled concrete (RC) as an alternative aggregate, which is a much cheaper and more sustainable option as opposed to the conventional MSS currently used in ECC. Fly ash—the coal-based, thermal, plant-generated waste material—was incorporated as an alternative binder to partially replace the traditional binder, portland cement (PC), which is a large greenhouse emitter. Thus, the use of fly ash to replace a high volume of ECC would result in a reduction in the carbon footprint of ECC. The RC was used to replace the MSS in proportions ranging from 0 to 100% at an increment of 25%. The mechanical performance of the ECC mixtures was assessed in terms of the compressive, tensile, and flexural properties. The results obtained from this study showed that the use of RC as a partial replacement of MSS in ECC mixtures resulted in a satisfactory ECC mixture. However, at a replacement ratio of 75% and above, the performance of ECC may not be acceptable. The sustainability index assessment of the mixtures indicates that the use of RC as a replacement of up to 50% of MSS is optimum.