MPC Research Reports |
Title: | Fiber-Reinforced Concrete for Structure Components |
Authors: | Ahmad A. Ghadban, Nadim I. Wehbe, and Micah Underberg |
University: | South Dakota State University |
Publication Date: | Dec 2017 |
Report #: | MPC-17-342 |
Project #: | MPC-437 |
TRID #: | 01663140 |
Keywords: | concrete structures, costs, fiber reinforced concrete, fibers, guidelines, laboratory tests, literature reviews, mechanical properties, mix design |
Concrete infrastructures in cold areas such as South Dakota tend to experience early deterioration that is mostly triggered by steel corrosion. The corrosion is initiated by chloride penetration through cracks in the concrete. Fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) is known to be a good alternative to conventional concrete in cold areas due to its enhanced durability and resistance to crack development. There is little guidance for SDDOT pertaining to the use and testing of FRC. There is also lack of information about new fiber products that have been introduced to the market in recent years. A comprehensive literature review, as well as interviews with SDDOT and other DOT personnel, were carried out in this study to evaluate past FRC experiences, effect of different factors on the properties of FRC, and existing FRC design and construction practices. The effect of fiber type and dosage on air content, slump, flexural strength, compressive strength, and impact resistance was examined by conducting laboratory experiments on FRC mixes incorporating five different fiber types and four different fiber dosages. While steel fibers had superior performance, the results showed that among the synthetic fibers the fiber type did not significantly affect any of the FRC properties. Fiber dosage, however, affected the slump and the flexural properties. While the slump decreased, the flexural strength properties increased with increased fiber dosage. The results were also in good agreement with provided manufacturers' claims. Of the four synthetic fibers tested in this study, the most cost-effective were the Fibermesh 650 and FORTA-FERRO fibers. Based on the experimental results and the literature, an FRC proportioning and selection guidelines were developed.
Ghadban, Ahmad A., Nadim I. Wehbe, and Micah Underberg. Fiber-Reinforced Concrete for Structure Components, MPC-17-342. North Dakota State University - Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute, Fargo: Mountain-Plains Consortium, 2017.