Construction

and Building

MATERIALS

Construction and Building Materials 21 (2007) 12501253

www.elsevier.com/locate/conbuildmat

Eect of aspect ratio and volume fraction of steel ber on

the mechanical properties of SFRC
_
S
Volkan Tabak
emsi Yazc *, Gozde Inan,
_
Civil Engineering Department, Ege University, 35100 Izmir,
Turkey
Received 2 August 2005; received in revised form 16 January 2006; accepted 31 May 2006
Available online 18 September 2006

Abstract
In this study, eects of aspect ratio (l/d) and volume fraction (Vf) of steel ber on the compressive strength, split tensile strength, exural strength and ultrasonic pulse velocity of steel ber reinforced concrete (SFRC) were investigated. For this purpose, hooked-end bundled steel bers with three dierent l/d ratios of 45, 65 and 80 were used. Three dierent ber volumes were added to concrete mixes at
0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5% by volume of concrete. Ten dierent concrete mixes were prepared. After 28 days of curing, compressive, split and
exural strength as well as ultrasonic pulse velocity were determined. It was found that, inclusion of steel bers signicantly aect the
split tensile and exural strength of concrete accordance with l/d ratio and Vf. Besides, mathematical expressions were developed to estimate the compressive, exural and split tensile strength of SFRCs regarding l/d ratio and Vf of steel bers.
 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Steel ber reinforced concrete; Volume fraction; Aspect ratios; Mechanical properties

1. Introduction
Inspired from the ancient application of techniques of
natural bers (straw, chip, horse tail, goat hair and plume,
etc.), articial bers are commonly used nowadays in order
to improve the mechanical properties of concrete. Especially vitreous, synthetic, carbon and steel bers used in
concrete caused good results to improve numerous concrete properties [13]. In general, tensile, exural, impact,
fatigue and wear strength, deformation capability, loads
bearing capacity after cracking and toughness properties
of concrete are signicantly improved by use of bers in
concrete mix [411].
In SFRCs, the most important factors aecting the concrete properties are l/d ratio and Vf of bers. l/d ratio is
important at mixing and replacement stages of concrete
production [3]. Generally, l/d ratios of steel bers used in
concrete mix are varied between 50 and 100. Probability
*

Corresponding author. Tel.: +90 232 3886026; fax: +90 232 3425629.
E-mail address: semsiyazici@gmail.com (S
. Yazc).

0950-0618/$ - see front matter  2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2006.05.025

of heterogeneous distribution and occulation of bers in

concrete mix is increased by increasing l/d ratios. Also,
Vf signicantly aects the workability of concrete. The
most suitable Vf values for concrete mixes are between
0.5% and 2.5% by volume of concrete [1,3,12,13]. Homogeneous distribution of bers at mixing and placing is
required regardless of the type of bers [1,14].
The most important eect of vitreous, synthetic, carbon
and steel bers used in conventional concrete is prevention
of crack propagation in concrete. Thus, extension and
propagation of micro cracks that occur due to internal
stress in concrete are prevented by stress transfer capability
of bers. According to their shape and quantity, bers bear
some stress that occurs in cement matrix themselves and
transfer the other portion of stress at stable cement matrix
portions. This behavior of bers under stress dominates the
SFRC compared to the conventional concrete [1,15].
In this research, the eect of aspect ratio (l/d) and
volume fraction (Vf) of steel bers on the compressive,
exural and split tensile strength and ultrasonic pulse
velocity of SFRC were assessed. For this purpose,

S
. Yazc et al. / Construction and Building Materials 21 (2007) 12501253

hooked-end bundled steel bers with three dierent l/d

ratios of 45, 65, and 80 were used. Three dierent ber volumes were added to concrete mixes at 0.5%, 1.0%, and
1.5% by volume of concrete. Ten dierent concrete mixes
(1 control + 9 ber reinforced) were produced. Average
compressive strength of concrete was selected as 40 MPa.
After 28 days of standard curing, compressive, split and
exural strength as well as ultrasonic pulse velocity were
determined.
2. Experimental study
CEM I 42.R type cement, crushed limestone aggregate
with maximum size of 15 mm, steel ber, superplasticizer
(SP) were used in this study. Specic gravity of cement is
3.13 and its specic surface is 3670 cm2/g. The aggregates
were separated into three dierent size fractions as 0/
3 mm (AI), 0/5 mm (AII) and 5/15 mm (AIII). SSD specic
gravity of AI, AII and AIII aggregates were 2.62, 2.60 and
2.69, respectively. The absorption capacity of AI, AII and
AIII aggregates were 1.42%, 1.78% and 0.76%, respectively. Aggregates were recombined to a specied uniform
grading during mixing. The blend consisted of 30% AI,
30% AII and 40% AIII. Fineness modulus of the mixture
is 3.64. Hooked-end bundled and low carbon steel bers
with three dierent l/d ratios of 45, 65 and 80 were used.
The diameter and length of the three types of steel bers
are 0.62, 0.90, and 0.75 mm and 30, 60, and 60 mm, respectively. The tensile strength of steel bers were 1250, 1000
and 1200 MPa, respectively. Three dierent ber volumes
were added to each series of mixes at 0.5%, 1.0% and
1.5% by volume of concrete. In addition, a naphthalene
sulfonate type SP was added to concrete mixes at 2.5%
by weight of cement. The proportioning and description
of the concrete mixtures are summarized in Table 1.
The compressive and split tensile strength was determined on 150 mm cubes at 28 days. Besides, the same cube
samples of 150 mm were used for the determination of
ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) at 28 days according to
ASTM C597. In addition, exural strength test were performed on 100 100 600 mm prismatic specimens

1251

according to ASTM C78. Totally, 120 concrete cube specimens and 60 concrete prismatic specimens were cast and
tested from 10 dierent concrete mixtures.
3. Results and discussion
3.1. Slump and unit weight
Slump and unit weight test results of 10 dierent concrete mixes are shown in Table 2. As shown in this table,
slump values of concretes vary between 125 and 230 mm.
Test results showed that slump of concrete decreased as
the l/d ratio and Vf increased. For 1.5% ber volume,
workability of concrete is dramatically decreased. Not surprisingly, steel bers raise the unit weight of all tested
concrete.
3.2. Compressive strength
The 28-day compressive strength values of SFRCs are
given in Table 3. Compressive strength of control concrete
was 49.1 MPa. For l/d ratio of 45 (SFRC13), 65 (SFRC4
6), and 80 (SFRC79) the minimum and maximum compressive strength values are 50.8, 53.5, and 52.1 MPa and
57.7, 58.3, and 58.3 MPa, respectively.
The relative compressive strength values of SFRCs are
also given in Table 3. It can be seen from the results that,

Table 2
Slump and unit weights of concrete mixtures
Mixture code

Slump (mm)

Unit weight (kg/m3)

CC
SFRC1
SFRC2
SFRC3
SFRC4
SFRC5
SFRC6
SFRC7
SFRC8
SFRC9

230
220
205
200
210
195
125
200
150
145

2200
2243
2308
2398
2333
2305
2367
2313
2367
2353

Table 1
Mix proportions and description of concrete mixtures
Mixture code

l/d ratio

Vf (%)

Batch weight (kg/m3)

PC

Water

AI

AII

AIII

Fiber

SP

CC
SFRC1
SFRC2
SFRC3
SFRC4
SFRC5
SFRC6
SFRC7
SFRC8
SFRC9

45
45
45
65
65
65
80
80
80

0.5
1.0
1.5
0.5
1.0
1.5
0.5
1.0
1.5

438
438
438
438
438
438
438
438
438
438

158.5
158.7
159
159
158.7
159
159
158.7
159
159

521
517
513
510
517
513
510
517
513
510

516
512
508
505
512
508
505
512
508
505

656
651
646
641
651
646
641
651
646
641

39
78
117
39
78
117
39
78
117

10.95
10.95
10.95
10.95
10.95
10.95
10.95
10.95
10.95
10.95

Aggregates were used in saturated-surface dry (SSD) condition in the concrete mixtures.

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S
. Yazc et al. / Construction and Building Materials 21 (2007) 12501253

Table 3
Mechanical properties of concrete mixtures
Mixture code

l/d ratio

Vf (%)

fca (MPa)

Relative fc (%)

fsta (MPa)

Relative
fst (%)

ffa (MPa)

Relative
ff (%)

UPV (m/s)

Relative
UPV (%)

CC
SFRC1
SFRC2
SFRC3
SFRC4
SFRC5
SFRC6
SFRC7
SFRC8
SFRC9

45
45
45
65
65
65
80
80
80

0.5
1.0
1.5
0.5
1.0
1.5
0.5
1.0
1.5

49.1
50.8
53.7
57.7
53.5
58.3
56.4
56.0
58.3
52.1

100
104
109
117
109
119
115
114
119
106

4.06
4.5
4.69
5.69
4.51
4.77
6.26
4.58
5.18
5.9

100
111
116
140
111
117
154
113
128
145

5.94
6.14
6.32
7.75
6.24
8.08
9.33
6.42
9.74
10.76

100
103
106
130
105
136
157
108
164
181

4523
4466
4435
4336
4488
4356
4348
4320
4188
4112

100
99
98
96
99
96
96
96
93
91

Reported values are the average of six specimens.

compressive strengths of SFRCs are higher about 419%

than control mixture. Compressive strengths of SFRCs of
45 aspect ratio (SFRC13) are increased with increasing
Vf. But, for 65 and 80 aspect ratios, compressive strength
of SFRCs (SFRC4, 5, 7, 8) are only increased up to 1%
ber volume. SFRCs with ber volume of 1.5%, 1.0%,
and 0.5% have highest compressive strength for aspect
ratio of 45, 65, and 80, respectively.
3.3. Split tensile strength
The split tensile strength values of SFRCs are given in
Table 3. Split tensile strength of control concrete is
obtained as 4.1 MPa. For l/d ratio of 45 (SFRC13), 65
(SFRC46), and 80 (SFRC79) the minimum and maximum split tensile strength values are 4.50, 4.51, and
4.58 MPa and 5.69, 6.26, and 5.90 MPa, respectively.
The relative split tensile strength values of SFRC
according to Vf and l/d ratio are also given in Table 3.
These test results indicated that, split tensile strengths of
SFRCs are higher about 1154% than the control mixture.
For all volume fractions, split tensile strength of SFRCs
increases with increasing l/d ratios. Especially, utilization
of 1.5% ber volume is more ecient on the split tensile
strength. Similarly, split tensile strengths are raised with
raising ber volume.
3.4. Flexural strength

3.5. Ultrasonic pulse velocity

The average ultrasonic pulse velocity in 150 mm concrete cube specimens at 28 days was 4543 m/s for control
mixture. For SFRCs with l/d ratios of 45 (SFRC13), 65
(SFRC46), and 80 (SFRC79) the average pulse velocity
was 4412, 4397, and 4207 m/s, respectively.
The relative ultrasonic pulse velocities of SFRCs according to Vf and l/d ratio are given in Table 3. It can be seen
from the table that pulse velocities of SFRCs are lower
about 19% than the control mixture. In conventional concrete, the relationship between ultrasonic pulse velocity and
unit weight of concrete exists. Ultrasonic pulse velocity of
concrete is increased with decreasing unit weight. In other
words, ultrasonic pulse velocity is increased with increasing
pore volume of concrete. In this study, ultrasonic pulse
velocities of steel ber reinforced concretes are decreased
with increasing unit weight. This may be due to diculties
in compacting the mixtures containing higher volume of
bers, thus, resulting in higher porosity.
4. Statistical evaluation of test results
A multiple linear regression analysis was used to obtain
the following relationships between the ber properties (l/
d, Vf) and compressive strength (fc), split tensile strength(1)
(fst), and exural strength (ff).
fc MPa 50:4869 0:0434  l=d 1:9667  V f % R2 0:10
2

Flexural strength of control concrete was 5.94 MPa. For

l/d ratio of 45 (SFRC13), 65 (SFRC46) and 80 (SFRC7
9) the minimum and maximum exural strength values are
6.14, 6.24, and 6.42 MPa and 7.75, 9.33, and 10.76 MPa,
respectively.
The relative exural strength values of SFRC according
to Vf and l/d ratio are given in Table 3. Table 3 shows that,
exural strength of SFRC are higher about 381% than
control concrete. Steel bers signicantly improve the exural strength of concrete compared to the compressive and
split tensile strength. Besides, exural strength of SFRC is
signicantly improved with increasing l/d ratio and Vf.

fst MPa 2:2121 0:0077  l=d 1:4233  V f % R 0:72

ff MPa 0:8261 0:0638  l=d 3:0000  V f % R2 0:77

1
2
3

The relationships between measured and predicted strength

parameters (obtained from Eqs. (1)(3)) and 95% condence intervals are shown in Figs. 13. The correlations between measured and predicted values are 32%, 85% and
88% for fc, fst and ff, respectively. As they were seen from
the coecient of correlation values that ber aspect ratio
and volume fraction are of great importance in terms of
exural and split tensile strength of SFRC. But, mentioned
parameters have a little eect on compressive strength of
SFRC.

S
. Yazc et al. / Construction and Building Materials 21 (2007) 12501253

Calcu lated fc vseula (MPa)

80

95% confidence
interval

70
60
50
40
45

50

55

60

65

Measured fc values (MPa)

Fig. 1. Measured and predicted fc values.

Calcu lated fst v alu es (MPa)

8
7
6

3. Usage of steel ber in concrete increases the compressive

strength of concrete by about 419%.
4. Usage of steel ber in concrete signicantly increases the
split tensile and exural strength of concrete. Split tensile strength of SFRC are higher about 1154% than
the control mixture. Besides, exural strengths of SFRC
are higher by about 381% than control mixture. In
addition, exural strength of SFRC is higher than the
split tensile and compressive strength. Besides, the
increase in the exural strength of SFRCs is signicantly
improved with increasing l/d ratio and Vf.
5. Ultrasonic pulse velocity of SRFCs decreased with ber
content.
6. Mathematical expressions were developed to estimate
the compressive, exural and split tensile strength of
SFRCs regarding l/d ratio and Vf of steel bers. As it
was expected that ber aspect ratio and volume fractions have little eect on compressive strength than exural strength and split tensile strength.

References

95% confidence
interval

3
2
2

4
5
6
Measured fst values (MPa)

Fig. 2. Measured and predicted fst values.

16
Calcu lated ff values (MPa)

1253

14
12
10
8
6

95% confidence
interval

4
2
4

8
10
Measured ff values (MPa)

12

14

Fig. 3. Measured and predicted ff values.

5. Conclusions
1. Fibers with selected l/d ratios and ber volumes in this
study decreased the workability of concrete mixtures.
Especially, workability of reinforced concrete mixture
is dramatically decreased for bers with l/d ratio of 80
and Vf of 1.0% and 1.5%.
2. Unit weight of concrete is increased with using bers.
This increase varies with the aspect ratio and volume
of bers.

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