Steel fiber for concrete

Recently, reinforcement cages are increasingly used in the production of reinforced concrete products, where metal fiber for concrete is used as reinforcement previously known to all. This solution ensures high structural strength of the product and increases its service life.

Replacing the reinforcing mesh with fiber will lead to a decrease in the thickness of the screed, but at the same time it will preserve the bearing capacity of the structure... This is the key advantage of an innovative material that is added to concrete mortar. Steel fiber is a special fiber that can increase the resistance of the finished structure and make it more resistant to external influences.

The benefits of fiber include:

• resistance to low temperatures;
• low abrasion;
• increased water resistance;
• improved strength properties;
• extensibility;
• ease of use.

Reinforcement of concrete is a mandatory procedure aimed at increasing the strength characteristics of structures, resistance to various influences. Steel fiber allows you to achieve the desired result. Among the disadvantages of steel additives are:

• possibility gradual release of fibers from the concrete body with the subsequent deterioration of material properties;
• need use of protective coatings, which will prevent premature corrosion of the fibers;
• heavy weight finished products.

The market of modern building materials is represented by a large selection of concrete fibers from different manufacturers. Even the category of steel materials is divided into several positions with a wide range of subspecies. Popular variations of steel fibers are as follows.

• Standard metal... For production, innovative technologies are used; steel sheet is taken as a basis. The average fiber length is 20-50 mm, the tensile strength of the material reaches 850 N / mm2. Fiber has good adhesion to concrete and increased tensile strength.

• Anchor metal 1/50 and other brands... Fiber production is regulated by GOST 3282-74, as well as international regulatory documents. To obtain fibers, a low-carbon general-purpose wire is used. The length of the fibers after release is 60 mm, the diameter does not exceed 1 mm. The tensile strength of such tapes reaches 1350 N / mm.

• Fiber metal wave... For the manufacture of such fibers, wires made of steel with a low carbon content are used, the characteristics of which correspond to the standards from GOST 3282-74. Fiber increases the resistance of concrete to various influences.

Fiber is a reinforcing additive that is used in the preparation of concrete solutions and special compositions based on:

• cement;
• lime;
• gypsum.

The optimal solution would be to use fibers for assembling structures that will be subjected to heavy loads. The additive will prevent unwanted settling of the product, as well as reduce the risk of cracking and premature failure of the structure. Steel fibers are used for:

• assembly of reinforced concrete products in monolithic frames of modern buildings and structures;
• road repair and production of slabs for paving, which include highways, airfield runways;
• construction of special buildings and structures that must have the necessary seismic resistance;
• the device of naive floors, as well as screeds for them;
• assembly of small structures, which include paving slabs, curbs or finishing stone;
• pouring decorative elements, among which fountains and statues are especially famous.

Also, fibers are used in concrete fences and hedges, increasing the strength characteristics of the structure, as well as extending their service life.... Finally, experts advise adding fibers to plaster mixes. To obtain a reliable concrete solution, the fiber is introduced into the concrete at the stage of mixing. Usually, the procedure is performed immediately at the construction site. Among the advantages of the material are excellent adhesion and the absence of lumps during mixing.

With the help of fiber, it will be possible not only to create a high-quality floor covering, but also to strengthen the corners or edges of concrete structures. Experiments show that the strength characteristics and basic operational properties of steel fiber practically do not differ from conventional reinforcement. At the same time, by abandoning standard steel and adding a special material to the solution, it is possible to reduce the thickness of the protective layer and the concrete coating as a whole.

Before you start buying fiber, you need to decide on the amount of material. This will require taking into account the consumption of steel additives for concrete. Fiber consumption depends on several parameters, and one of the main ones is the load to which the structure with fiber is planned to be subjected in the future.

Possible consumption options:

• up to 30 kg per 1 m3 of concrete with light loads;
• 40 Kg with quite tangible loads that can be classified as medium;
• 40-75 kg with impressive pressure on the elements of the monolithic frame.

In the rarest cases, if the construction and operation of a building is planned in the most severe conditions, the consumption is increased to 150 kg per 1 m3 of concrete. It is noteworthy that the consumption of fiber is determined by its composition and purpose as well. For example, consumption indicators for wave material per 1 m3 of concrete mixture at:

• the device of self-leveling floors of high strength - up to 40 kg;
• the layout of floor slabs between floors - from 25 to 50 kg;
• erection of special structures (tunnels, bridges, long and winding roads) - from 50 to 100 kg;
• construction of marine facilities - from 100 kg and more.

You can see the amount of fiber for the preparation of a reliable and durable concrete mortar in the instructions that come with the material in its original packaging.