What is the Fiber Reinforced Concrete (FRC)?

About Fiber Reinforced Concrete (FRC)

Fiber Reinforced Concrete (FRC) is a special kind of concrete composed of cement aggregates, mortar or concrete, and a certain type of fibers(like Copper Coated Steel Fiber, Stainless Steel Fiber, 3D steel fiber, PVA fiber, Glass Fiber, PP fiber). Fibers are added to improve tensile strength, increase durability, and increase its structural integrity. Fibers also control cracking caused by drying or plastic shrinkage and reduce the permeability of concrete, preventing the bleeding of water. Usually copper coated steel fiber, stainless steel fiber and PVA fiber are used for Ultra High Performance Fibre Reinforced Concrete(UHPFRC) structure or architecture.

What are the Different Types of Fiber-Reinforced Concrete(FRC)?

Steel Fiber-Reinforced Concrete(SFRC)

Steel fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC) is a metal reinforcement that can bring significant qualitative changes to the concrete’s physical characteristics. It reduces steel reinforcement requirements, controls cracks widths, and holds the crack widths tightly, enhancing durability. Steel fiber can also improve structural integrity and increase resistance to impact, bending, fatigue, cracking, and specific strength (tenacity).

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) Fiber-Reinforced Concrete

PVA fibers have high tensile strength and can also be used for shrinkage control. They are the best choice for hidden fibers, as they will not show or stick out after the surface has been ground.

Glass Fiber-Reinforced Concrete(GFRC)

Glass fiber-reinforced concrete (GFRC) is made of several fine filaments bonded together to form a strand. GFRC is cheaper, less brittle, and allows reduced bleeding, permeability, and formation of micro cracks.
Glass fibers are resistant to the alkali-silica reaction (ASR) and can be used for both plastic shrinkage control and reinforcement at the same time, by using a mix of shorter and longer fibers.

Polypropylene (PP) Fiber-Reinforced Concrete

Polypropylene Fibers enhance abrasion and impact resistance and improve concrete mix cohesion, enhancing permeability across long distances. They improve ductility and also have heat-insulating characteristics that are highly resistant to alkalis, organic solvents, and acids.

Polyacryonitrile (PAN) Fiber-Reinforced Concrete

Polyacryonitrile (PAN) Fibers improve the toughness of concrete and absorb fracture energy during the crack propagation process. Adding 1.0 % volume PAN fibers to concrete have been shown to improve impact toughness by up to 250%.

Polyethylene (PE) Fiber-Reinforced Concrete

Polyethylene fibers are used to reinforce concrete and improve ductility, toughness and elasticity. They increase compressive strength, flexural strength as well as tensile strength. These fibers are very light, can float in water and are therefore used in lightweight concrete projects.