igh performance fiber reinforced self-compacting concrete (HPFR.SCC): a smart material for high end engineering applications

Fiber Reinforced Self-Compacting Concrete (FR-SCC) combines the benefits of highly flowable concrete in the fresh state with the enhanced performance in the hardened state in terms of crack control and fracture toughness provided by the wirelike fiber reinforcement. Thanks to the suitably adapted rheology of the concrete matrix, it is possible to achieve a uniform dispersion of fibers, which is of the foremost importance for a reliable performance of structural elements. Balanced viscosity of concrete may also be helpful to drive the fibers along the concrete flow direction. An ad-hoc designed casting process may hence lead to an orientation of the fibers “tailored” to the intended application, which is along the anticipated directions of the principal tensile stressed within the structural element when in service. This converges towards a “holistic” approach to the design of structurse made with highly flowable FRC, which encompasses the influence of fresh state performance and casting process on fiber dispersion and orientation an the related outcomes in terms of hardened state properties. This paper will provide a review, based on the author’s own research, of the main properties of FR-SCC in order to address its use for high end structural applications.