Cracking performance of SCC reinforced with recycled fibres - an experimental study

This paper presents an experimental campaign aiming to assess the cracking behaviour of flexural members made with self-compacting concrete (SCC) and reinforced with both rebars and steel fibres recycled from end-of-life tyres (ELT). The characteristics, constructability and performance of this new type of fibre are first discussed. The results of the tests carried out are then presented and discussed. The parameters that have been investigated are: phi/rho(s,ef), concrete cover and fibre content. The results obtained show improvement in cracking behaviour, especially for low reinforcement ratios and large covers. Results are compared with the predictions of the recently published fib Model Code for Concrete Structures 2010. The main objective of this investigation is to evaluate the efficiency of a new type of fibre technology for crack width control of RC elements, with advantages in sustainability from the point of view of recycling and durability.