EFFECT OF STEEL FIBRES ON FLEXURAL STRENGTH OF CONCRETE

Abstract

An experimental investigation has been carried out of study the behavior of steel fiber reinforced concrete under flexural loading. Concrete is very strong in compression but weak in tension. The tensile strength of concrete is less due to widening of micro-cracks existing in concrete subjected to tensile stress. Due to presence of fiber, the micro-cracks are attested. The study deals with steel fiber reinforced concrete mechanical static behavior and with its classification with respect to fibers content and mix-design variations. A number of experimental tests were conducted to investigate uniaxial compressive strength and flexural strength. Different mixtures were prepared varying both mix-design and fiber content. Fibers content in volume was of 0%, 0.5%, 1%, 1.5% and 2%. Mechanical characterization was performed by means of uniaxial compression tests and flexural tests with the aim of deriving the ultimate compressive strength and flexural strength of fiber concrete. A total of 60 numbers of concrete specimens (30 cube of size 150mm x 150mm x 150mm and 30 prism of size 150mm x 150mm x 700mm) were cast with and without fiber. The experimental tests showed the different behavior of SFRC with respect to the different Fiber content and mix design. The mass, Rebound number, compressive strength of cubes, and flexural strength of prisms, made up of fiber reinforced concrete increased with increase in % of fiber content. Thus the FRC mixes has been proved to be stronger than the ordinary concrete.