Steel Fibre High Strength Concrete Containing Industrial By-Products as Mineral Additives

This paper presents the results of an experimental study concerning the effect of fibres’ reinforcement on high strength concrete containing industrial by-products as mineral additives. Indeed, fibres of different natures have been used in construction materials since the old time, depending on the targeted objectives. In concrete in general, and in high strength concrete in particular, the aim is to improve the ductility and restrain cracking and, to lesser extent, improve the mechanical properties of the material such as the tensile strength and modulus of rupture. Such improved behaviour is particularly required in seismically active regions to prevent catastrophic brittle failures such as those which occurred in the Boumerdes-Algiers earthquake in 2003. For this targeted objectives, steel fibres are the relevant ones. The extent of the improvement of the ductility and the tension behaviour of high strength concrete material are, however, dependant on number of parameters related to the fibres. The use of slags as mineral additives was found to facilitate the movement of steel fibres inside the fresh concrete and hence improve their orientation for better efficiency after hardening of the concrete material.

Keywords:

High Strength Concrete , Fibre Concrete , Ductility , Cracking , Tensile Strength , Modulus of Rupture , Brittleness