Effects of Steel Fibres on Fresh and Hardened Properties of Cement Concrete

Concrete possesses distinct features that make it widely acceptable for use across the globe; however, along with its obvious benefits, it has numerous drawbacks i.e., it is brittle in nature and its production causes an adverse impact on the environment. To counter such problems, researchers around the world have introduced sustainable measures. Fibre addition is foremost among these solutions in that it prevents crack propagation and increases the overall strength of concrete. In the present age, civil engineering structures have their own structural and durability requirements and so, modification in traditional concrete has become a necessity. This research is targeted at steel fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC), which is a superior quality concrete because of its enhanced strength. The steel fibres are obtained from binding wire that is used to tie the steel reinforcement. By referring to past research, steel fibres with an aspect ratio (length to diameter ratio) of 30 were considered favourable. The controlled, mixed design of the concrete was prepared with a targeted strength of 4000 psi and, while mixing the concrete ingredients, fibres were added to allow uniform dispersion. The fresh and hardened properties of workability, compressive, and tensile strength were tested and the results of fibres at 0%, 1%, 2% and 3% concrete mass were compared and analysed. The results indicated that highest compressive and tensile strength values were achieved with 3% fibre addition. However, with further addition, it was observed that concrete loses its workability. Therefore, it is suggested that 1% addition of steel fibres produces good strength with sufficient workability.