Fiber concrete - characteristics, use and production

In modern construction, various designs of fiber-reinforced concrete - a composite material, the volume of which is additionally distributed fiber reinforcement, are becoming more widely used. Due to this reinforcement, it is possible to minimize the key disadvantages of traditional concrete - brittleness and low tensile strength. This article will explain in detail about the material and its properties, as well as how to make fiber-reinforced concrete with your own hands.

General knowledge

The use of steel fiber for concrete work provides the following benefits:

• saving time due to the lack of need to install a traditional mount;
• no risks associated with installing mesh or bars on the floor;
• the possibility of attracting fewer staff to work;
• improving the quality of ready-made concrete structures.

So, what fiber concrete is concrete, in which its area is uniformly reinforced by dispersed fibers. This may be wire residues or waste from the production of nails, as well as non-metallic materials.

Because of this, it has several times larger than the standard:

• strength;
• viscosity;
• crack resistance;
• frost resistance;
• heat resistance;
• fire resistance;
• cavitation resistance;
• water resistant.

Features of use of a steel fiber

Adding steel fibers to the concrete mass is possible both before the beginning of the process of its preparation, and during and even after. Moreover, the most qualitative concrete will be in the case of mixing the fiber into the already prepared mixture, however it is extremely important to ensure that the fiber is not taken lumps.

Tip: thanks to the use of fiber, it becomes possible to use concrete when carrying out repair work in the most difficult to access damaged areas where reinforcement with metal products is impossible.

From the point of view of technical and economic efficiency and expediency of the use of metal fiber, the most rational use of the following types of structures:

• reactor sections of nuclear power plants, while GOST on fibrobeton is particularly controlled;
• containers used for the disposal of radioactive waste, structures where induced radioactivity does not occur;
• bridges;
• airfield runways;
• hydraulic structures (coastal dams and dams, locks and river channels);

• various kinds of road surfaces - slabs of prefabricated and monolithic type, borders that perform the separation function of strips of paving slabs;
• civil structures in places with high seismic activity, as well as foundations, poured for the construction of television towers;
• foundations for industrial volumetric equipment with mechanical or dynamic action: hydraulic presses, rolling mills, hammers;

Tip: to work with the installation and dismantling of reinforced concrete used to cut reinforced concrete with diamond wheels of the desired density.

• railway tracks and protective slopes of railways that prevent melt and river waters from blurring; in the process of strengthening and repair of mine vaults and tunnels in the subway; when carrying out reconstruction works in bank vaults and safes; for imparting armor- and fire-resistant properties to thin-walled panels and partitions; when preparing the foundation of a monolithic type for a gas or oil drilling rig.

• during the lining of the walls of the heating and cracking furnaces located in oil refineries; in the process of repairing the vault of electric furnaces for steel melting at metallurgical enterprises; when restoring top heads and gas scrubbers, pipelines supplying air, and grooves through which liquid iron is poured from blast furnaces;
• during repair work in the bottoms of steel ladles, in prefabricated panels, protecting the floor from molten metal, in structures providing water supply and diversion, in facilities with defense and strategic purposes.

When using the material it should be understood that the thermal conductivity of fiber-reinforced concrete depends on the filler.

Work with material

Laying concrete with fiber is made using special laying machines or using traditional devices that generate vibrations. This technology makes it possible to achieve obtaining concrete of higher density, which has a positive effect on its physical characteristics and allows obtaining a flat surface.

Tip: in the case of working with small volumes, you can use manual styling.

Finishing surface treatment, as a rule, is performed with the use of a manual steel trowel or a trowel. Smooth the surface should be immediately after the concrete was poured, so that the fiber ends do not protrude.

The fibers produced by modern industry are quite easily introduced into the solution and easily mixed with it. Due to this, during operation, it is possible to mainly use standard technological equipment used for ordinary concrete.

Tip: if you can not make the necessary channel in concrete goods, diamond drilling of holes in concrete with the help of special crowns will help you.

Advantages in civil engineering

Adding steel fiber to concrete is widely used when working on:

• highways;
• airfield runways;
• structures that prevent the occurrence of landslides, coastal protection structures, buildings resistant to earthquakes;
• the foundations of cars.

Due to the fiber, concrete acquires additional rigidity and higher strength, due to which developers have the opportunity to develop structures that can withstand increased loads.

As evidenced by the experience in domestic and foreign construction, the material is considered to be incredibly versatile, the scope of which is steadily expanding.

Products made of steel fiber reinforced concrete have higher economic efficiency compared to reinforced concrete, which is expressed in:

• a significant reduction in labor costs, while the price of the work becomes competitive;
• reduced material requirements;
• significant increase in durability;
• prolongation of the overhaul period;
• minimizing the deficiencies of core reinforcement.

Manufacturing technology

The production of fiber-reinforced concrete does not apply to complex processes. Standard instructions for the manufacture of this material include several successive stages:

At this, by and large, the cooking process can be considered complete. Such a simple production technology does not prevent the material from having a number of undeniable advantages, including the economic benefits associated with the absence of any additional costs.

It is necessary to clarify that not only metal particles, but also a mass of other materials possessing properties suitable for this purpose can be used as fiberglass fibers.

In the long list you can include:

• glass;
• plastics;
• polyester, asbestos, carbon and even cotton fibers.

All of them will significantly improve the final characteristics of the finished concrete.

Tip: in the process of building structures that should have increased strength, it is recommended to use the material solely on the basis of metal fibers.

Conclusion

In this article, you learned that although the manufacture of material does not require sophisticated technology - fiber concrete at the same time receives a lot of positive qualities, allowing it to compete with standard concrete. Due to its characteristics, it is used in a wide range of construction works. Both metallic and non-metallic materials can be used as additives.

The video in this article will help you find additional information on this topic.