TECHNICAL
BOSFA prides itself on their technical ability and hence numerous technical papers and brochures have been generated in relation to Fibre Reinforced Concrete (FRC). If the information you require is not available in the below listed documents please contact your local Business Development Manager to discuss your requirements or visit our FAQ page which covers general questions relating to Fibre Reinforced Concrete.
Concrete is a brittle material and if uncracked any reinforcing placed with in the concrete matrix is redundant but 90% of the time concrete will fatigue and show signs of cracking but to where is hard to predict but how much it will crack can be determined and controlled by means of reinforcement. What type of reinforcing and the material properties of the reinforcing play a major role in the redistribution of these stresses and how significant the crack widths will be.
The articles in this section hopefully give the reader a better understanding of the appropriate fibre to be used for a given application. It is also worth noting that Fibre technology is changing all the time and new and innovative products, techniques and methods for placing Fibre Reinforced concrete are always being developed.
EN14889-1 is currently the only performance based manufacturing standard for steel fibres, which means it requires manufacturers to declare the fibre dosage required to meet a standard performance level. Every pallet of product supplied to market has a CE label that details the manufacturing facility, fibre tensile strength, geometry and importantly this minimum dosage.
Fibres can either work with conventional mesh/bar to give tighter crack control and enhanced durability or they can completely replace mesh/bar to provide composite elements that are not only easier and faster to construct but offer enhanced performance in terms of load carrying capacity, durability, impact resistance and fatigue performance. However, in order to do that it is absolutely essential that the fibres are dosed and mixed into the concrete such that they are uniformly distributed right through the parent matrix rather than sitting together in large clumps or balls that not only reduce the effective fibre dosage but can block pumps and lines. The dosing and mixing procedure will change dependent on whether the fibres are loose, collated and glued, or bundled in some other way. Product must be kept undercover & dry.
