BRE EP91 PDF

INTRODUCTION

The effectiveness of concrete is often governed by its response and resistance to tensile stresses arising from shrinkage, impact, bending or temperature changes. The prevention of cracking resulting from these mechanisms is important in terms of both mechanical integrity and long-term durability. For this reason, fibres have been used to improve the toughness and ductility of concrete used in industrial floors, tunnelling, mining, security structures and heavy duty pavements, where conventional reinforcement systems are often impractical.

There are a large number of fibre types available, and these differ in size, shape, stiffness and strength. Each fibre has a distinct effect on the performance of concrete, and to provide the most efficient response to any specific set of loading or environmental conditions, it is important to understand how these fibres work and to predict the resulting behaviour through models and designbased approaches. Indeed, best practice is tending towards the use of hybrid fibre systems that utilise the properties of one or more fibres, and provide additive and complementary forms of reinforcement.

Clearly, with the experiences gained over the last 30 years or so, it is evident that the appropriate selection and use of fibres can bring many benefits to concrete. The future is likely to see concrete being pushed further in terms of its structural form and demands of the material, balanced against the need for sustainable solutions and practices. Fibres will have an important role to play in the achievement of these and they represent the focus of much of the research carried out in this area. This International Conference in covering latest developments will hopefully contribute to greater exploitation of this system.

The Proceedings ‘Harnessing Fibres for Concrete Construction' dealt with all these subject areas and the issues raised in two clearly defined themes: (i) Materials and Concepts and (ii) Performance. Each theme started with a Keynote Paper presented by the foremost exponent in their respective fields. There were a total of 39 papers presented during the International Conference which are compiled into these proceedings.