Types of Fiber Reinforced Concrete

There are various types of fibers used in reinforced concrete. Below is a description of the most common types.

Cellulose fibers. These fibers are made from cellulose esters or ethers obtained from plant leaves, wood, bark or other plant materials. The mechanical properties of these fibers can be altered by introducing different proportions of lignin and hemicellulose. Cellulose fibers are mainly used in the textile industry as fiber reinforced composites and chemical filters.

Natural fibers. This fiber is efficient and affordable; it is highly recommended because it is easily sourced locally and readily available. Natural fibers can be obtained from mineral sources, animals or vegetables and processed into non-woven fabrics. The use of fibers in construction is not a new development as horsehair and straw have been used to make plaster and bricks.

Carbon fibers. This fiber is mainly composed of carbon atoms with a diameter of 5 microns to 10 microns. There are many advantages to using carbon fibers; including but not limited to the following:

It has low thermal expansion.
It has strong chemical resistance.
Carbon fibers have high resistance to high temperatures.
They are strong, lightweight and have high tensile strength.
Polyester fibers. Polyester fibers are the preferred choice for warehouse and other industrial flooring, pavement, and precast products. Polyester macro and micro fibers are mixed with concrete to ensure structural integrity, toughness, and prevent plastic shrinkage cracks.

Glass fibers. Glass fibers share many of the same mechanical properties and performance as other fibers such as carbon fibers and polymer fibers. This fiber is less brittle when used in composites, but is less rigid than carbon fibers. Therefore, glass fibers are used as reinforcements in many polymer products, such as glass reinforced plastics, also known as fiberglass.

Polypropylene fibers. Polypropylene (PP) is a fiber used in concrete because of its resistance to drying shrinkage and plastic shrinkage. This fiber helps reduce water infiltration in concrete and significantly reduces the permeability of concrete. Polypropylene fiber is a synthetic, white, strong material that has good insulating properties and is highly resistant to chemicals such as organic solvents, acids, and alkalis.

Steel fibers. The right amount of steel fibers in concrete can qualitatively change the physical properties of concrete. Adding steel fibers to concrete can significantly increase the durability, cracking resistance, bending resistance, strength, and toughness of concrete.