JOURNAL OF ROCK MECHANICS

JOURNAL OF ROCK MECHANICS

Investigating the Effect of Using Steel Fibers on the Strength Parameters of Concrete

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Seyfoldin Rezaei 1
Fereydon Khosravi 1
Yaser Alilou Kasjini 2
Jafar Khani 1
1 Water, Energy and Environment Center, Imam Hossein Comprehensive University, Tehran, Iran.
2 Sahand University of Technology
10.22034/IRSRM.2024.336001.1777
Abstract
Nowadays, concrete structures are subjected to various stresses depending on their applications. These structures typically exhibit high compressive strength but perform poorly under tensile and flexural stresses. To enhance the resistance of concrete against tensile and flexural forces, reinforcement is necessary. This study investigates the properties of steel fiber-reinforced concrete. Due to the nature of this research, which was conducted for a national defense project, certain limitations were encountered in material selection. In this study, 16 mix designs were prepared with cement contents ranging from 200 to 350 kg/m³ (cement content) and fiber volumes between 0.5% and 1.5%. After 28 days of curing under standard conditions, mechanical properties of the fiber-reinforced concrete, including compressive strength, tensile strength, and flexural strength, were evaluated. The results indicate that the increase in compressive and tensile strengths of concrete is dependent on the cement content and the percentage of steel fibers used, respectively. The addition of steel fibers to concrete enhances its compressive strength; however, this increase is influenced by the cement content. For instance, in low-cement-content mixes, an increase in fiber volume may even have a negative effect on compressive strength. In mixes with a cement content of 350 kg/m³, the addition of 0.5% fibers resulted in a 10–20% increase in compressive strength. The use of steel fibers significantly improves the splitting tensile strength of concrete. The extent of this improvement depends on the fiber volume, with higher fiber volumes leading to more substantial increases in tensile strength. For example, the tensile strength increased by up to 54% when 1.5% fibers were used. The addition of steel fibers delays the formation of the first crack in the concrete section, thereby enhancing flexural strength. The increase in flexural strength is directly related to the fiber volume, with higher fiber volumes leading to greater flexural strength. However, the rate of increase in flexural strength diminishes beyond 0.5% fiber volume in mixes with a cement content of 350 kg/m³. Furthermore, as the fiber volume increases, the concrete demonstrates greater ductility, improved energy absorption capacity, and a slower rate of compressive strength degradation.
Keywords
Reinforced concrete
Steel Fibers
Mixing plan
cement grade
Strength Parameters of Concrete
Subjects
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JOURNAL OF ROCK MECHANICS
Volume 7, Issue 4
Winter 2024
Pages 57-72