Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Study of the distribution and orientation of fibers in SFRC specimens

  • Scientific Reports
  • Published:
Materials and Structures Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC), the fibers are generally considered to be oriented isotropically. However, it is known that the procedures used in the specimen fabrication during quality control and material characterization may influence the distribution of the fibers significantly. This has an important effect on the properties determined from the specimens, which has to be considered when the results are used to analyze the behavior of other elements. In the present work, the orientation and segregation of fibers in cylindrical specimens and prisms, which are normally used in the mechanical characterization of SFRC, are evaluated. The type of compaction (i.e., table vibration, hand tamping and internal vibration) is seen to have a considerable influence on the distribution of the fibers. In the prisms, table vibration increases the tendency for the fibers to be oriented horizontally. In the cylindrical specimens, hand tamping appears to cause the least non-uniformity of the fiber distribution. The study was conducted on conventional concretes with 40 kg/m3 of fibers.

Résumé

Dans le béton armé avec des fibres d'acier (BAFA), les fibres sont généralement considérées comme étant orientées de manière isotropique. Toutefois, les procédures utilisées dans la fabrication d'échantillons peuvent influencer, de manière significative, la distribution des fibres. Elles jouent sur les propriétés mesurées sur les échantillons, un rôle important, qui doit être pris en compte lorsque les résultats sont utilisés pour analyser le comportement des autres éléments. Dans le présent travail, sont étudiées l'orientation et la ségrégation des fibres dans des échantillons cylindriques et prismatiques, lesquels sont généralement utilisés lors de la caractérisation des BAFA. Le type de compactage (c'est-à-dire, table vibrante, compactage manuel et vibration interne) est considéré comme ayant une influence considérable sur la distribution des fibres. Dans les prismes, la table vibrante crée la meilleure disposition pour l'alignement horizontal des fibres. Dans un échantillon cylindrique, le compactage manuel apparaît comme la cause de la non uniformité de la distribution des fibres. L'étude a été réalisée sur des bétons conventionnels ayant une densité de fibres de 40 kg/m3.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Edgington, J. and Hannant, D.J., ‘Steel fibre reinforced concrete. The effect on fibre orientation of compaction by vibration’,Mater. Struct. 5 (25) (1972) 41–44.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Stroeven, P., ‘The analysis of fibre distributions in fibre reinforced materials’,J. Microscopy 111 (1977) 283–295.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Stroeven, P., ‘Morphometry of fibre reinforced cementitious materials, Part II: Inhomogeneity, segregation and anisometry of partially oriented fibre structures’,Mater. Struct. 12 (1979) 9–20.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Soroushian, P. and Lee, C.-D., ‘Distribution and orientation of fibers in steel fiber reinforced concrete’,ACI Mater. J. 87 (5) (1990) 433–439.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Toutanji, H. and Bayasi, Z., ‘Effect of manufacturing techniques on the flexural behaviour of steel fiber-reinforced concrete’,Cem. Concr. Res. 28 (1) (1998) 115–124.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Akkaya, Y., Picka, J. and Shah, S.P., ‘Spatial distribution of aligned short fibers in cement composites’,J. Mater. in Civil Engng. 12 (3) (2000) 272–279.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Swamy, R.N. and Stavrides, H., ‘Influence of the method of fabrication on strength properties of steel fibre concrete’,Mater. Struct. 9 (52) (1976) 243–253.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Delvasto, S., Naaman, E.A. and Throne, J.L., ‘Effect of pressure after casting on high strength fibre reinforced mortar’,Intnl. J. of Cem. Comp. and Lightweight Conc. 8 (3) (1986) 181–190.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Stroeven, P., ‘Effectiveness of steel wire reinforcement in a boundary layer of concrete’,Acta Stereol. 10/1 (1991) 113–122.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. R. Gettu

    Present address: Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, 600036, Chennai, India

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Civil Engineering (ETSECCPB), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain

    R. Gettu, D. R. Gardner, H. Saldívar & B. E. Barragán

Authors
  1. R. Gettu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. D. R. Gardner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. H. Saldívar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. B. E. Barragán
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Editorial note Dr. Ravindra Gettu is a RILEM Staff Member. He is the secretary of RILEM TC 187-SOC ‘Experimental determination of the stress-crack opening curve for concrete in tension’.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gettu, R., Gardner, D.R., Saldívar, H. et al. Study of the distribution and orientation of fibers in SFRC specimens. Mat. Struct. 38, 31–37 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02480572

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02480572

Keywords

Search

Navigation