STEEL FIBER REINFORCED CONCRETE FOR USE IN PENNSYLVANIA. FINAL REPORT

This report details the benefits of adding steel fibers to portland cement concrete mixes for use in the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. The Department used steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC) for two bridge deck overlay projects in the early 1970s. These bridge decks have performed well with only minor deterioration for the last 20 years. The department has not used SFRC recently due to problems with fiber balling and bleeding of the mixes during construction in the 1970s and due to the high cost of SFRC during the 1970s with unrealized benefits. However, after a 20 year service life of the SFRC overlays was experienced and successful recent applications of SFRC overlays in other states, the Department began to reevaluate SFRC. This report details the effects in the plastic and hardened state of adding steel fibers to cement concrete mixes based on a current literature search. Generally steel fibers decrease the slump, slightly increase the mix times, and affect the workability of standard concrete mixes containing steel fibers. In the hardened state, steel fibers increase concrete's ductility, energy absorption capacity, ultimate strain capacity, ultimate flexural strength, post crack load carrying capacity, fatigue strength and failure toughness. In addition, the random orientation of the steel fiber reinforcement arrests cracking, crack propagation, and spalling. A draft specification for SFRC has been developed in this report based on the long term and recent performance of SFRC in the Pennsylvania DOT, Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, Louisiana DOT, Ohio DOT and the Iowa DOT.

• Corporate Authors:

  Pennsylvania Department of Transportation

  Bureau of Construction and Materials, 1118 State Street, P.O. Box 2926
  Harrisburg, PA  United States  17105-2926
• Authors:
  • Ramirez, T L
• Publication Date: 1994-2

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 46 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Benefits; Bridge decks; Ductility; Energy absorption; Fatigue strength; Fiber reinforced concrete; Flexural strength; Guides to the literature; Literature reviews; Load limits; Mixing; Overlays (Pavements); Performance evaluations; Service life; Slump test; Specifications; Steel fibers; Time; Time duration; Toughness; Workability
• Uncontrolled Terms: Load carrying capacity; Long term
• Old TRIS Terms: Mixing time
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Highways; Materials; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls; I32: Concrete;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00664431
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: PA-93-002+91-59, Res Proj No. 91-059
• Files: TRIS, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Aug 31 1994 12:00AM