Performance and Application of Fibre-Reinforcing Bars: Literature Review and Case Studies

Concrete infrastructure, like roads, pavements, water retaining structures, and many more types experience heavy deterioration which may be triggered by corrosion of the reinforcement and the brittle nature of concrete. Fibre Reinforced Concrete (FRC) is seen as an excellent alternative to such conventional concrete applications due to its properties of enhanced control on cracks and increased durability. Although FRC has been used worldwide since the early 1900s, there is little guidance regarding its use and testing of FRP bars in India. There is also a lack of credible information about the new fibre products being introduced in the market. An attempt is made do literature survey to understand the past FRC experiences, and to improve the usability and design of FRC in road pavements as part of major infrastructure. The parameters studied ranged from the fibre type, dosage of fibres and monitoring the increase in flexural strength of concrete, increase in service life, and economic benefits of choosing FRC over conventional reinforced sections, with case studies in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, India. The design-centric approach for a prescribed percentage of synthetic fibre reinforcement was studied as an alternative to achieve the economical and structural benefits by using various doses of fibre reinforcement in concrete.