Effect of Fiber Type and Dosage on Flexural Performance of Fiber-Reinforced Concrete for Highway Bridges

Fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC) is known to be a good alternative to conventional concrete for highway bridge applications in cold areas due to its enhanced durability and resistance to harsh environments. However, there are few studies addressing the effect of commercially available fiber types with varying fiber dosage on the properties of FRC. The effects of fiber type and fiber dosage on wet and hardened concrete properties were examined by conducting laboratory experiments on FRC mixtures incorporating five different fiber types and four different fiber dosages. While steel fibers demonstrated superior performance over synthetic fibers, the results showed that, among synthetic fibers, the fiber type did not significantly affect any of the FRC properties. Fiber dosage, on the other hand, affected the slump and the flexural properties. While slump decreased, average residual strength, equivalent flexural strength ratio, toughness, and modulus of rupture increased with increased dosage.