Fresh and rheological characteristics of fiber reinforced concrete——A review

•Test methods and models of fresh performance were illuminated and compared.•Influence factors of rheological properties were reviewed in detail.•Some feasible strategies were presented to control the rheological properties. Fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) has been widely used due to its perfect mechanical performance, but inclusion of fibers has a decisive influence on the fresh properties. Workability as a short-term property is expected to affect long-term properties of concrete. In this paper, the definition of workability, rheological models of FRC, measurement methods of workability and rheological properties, as well as the measure techniques of the fiber orientation and distribution were discussed in detail. This paper presents a complete and updated literature review on the effects of fiber, various constituent, mixing and temperature on the fresh and rheological characteristics. It also reveals the relationship between workability, rheological properties and mechanical performance of FRC. Most importantly, the paper discusses plausible strategies to control rheological properties of FRC, which makes workability and mechanical performance of FRC simpler and more predictable.