Performance of Macrosynthetic and Steel Fiber-Reinforced Concretes Emphasizing Mineral Admixture Addition

Macrosynthetic fiber-reinforced concrete (MSFRC) has reached maturity as an engineering material and is widely being used in some civil engineering applications. However, design approaches for MSFRC are not as well developed as for steel fibers, and there is a need for further research on this new material in order to further help the development of guidelines and increase the practical applications. The main objective of this study is to critically review the present state of knowledge and applications of MSFRC and to study the effect of these fibers on fresh- and hardened-state performance of different concrete mixtures. Seven groups of concrete mixtures were produced with different volume fractions of steel fibers, fly ash, macrosynthetic fibers, and chemical admixture. Mini slump, compression, and flexural tests were conducted on the specimens for evaluating their mechanical performance, and water absorption and sorptivity tests were also conducted for measuring the permeability of these different concrete mix groups. Therefore, with this comprehensive study, a detailed understanding is gained about the present state of applications of macrosynthetic fibers and their potential for being used as a fiber-reinforcement mechanism in concrete elements.