WHAT IS IT?

Fiber products in concrete are a type of admixture designed to reinforce, protect, and increase capacity. There are several types that have been historically used, and modern usage is growing in popularity as a solution for all sorts of concrete applications. From infrastructure work such as bridges and roadways, to residential applications that require increased strength, fiber has become a staple option to provide an alternative to or pairing with traditional steel reinforcement.

A Wide Variety

Steel Fibers: Used for general toughness and carrying capacity.

Glass Fiber: Often found in precast, structural, or high-strength concrete.

Cellulose Fiber: Made from wood, this is used in high-shrinkage risk situations

Synthetic Fiber: Typical in specialty concrete and shotcrete for their flexibility and resistance to environmental changes.

Blended Fibers: A mixture of Steel, synthetic, glass, or other types.

Volumetric Mixing

Fiber can be used in a volumetric concrete mixer that is properly equipped with the right features. The most common method is to use an on-board fiber feeder unit. These are made by Bay-lynx in house for our equipment, so no custom add-ons are required, making things easy for the operator. Traditionally these units were air powered, but have recently been switched to operate electrically. They are designed to be preloaded with a “bobbin” (or roll) of glass strand fiber that automatically dispenses chopped portions directly on top of the aggregates as the machine blends material together to produce concrete.

Other options can be used, and are usually pre-blended with the materials before loading.

Why use it?

There are a number of options why you may want to introduce fiber to your mix designs.

• Customer preference: Some customers may request it specifically based on engineering requirements.
• Re-surfacing: Adding fiber to a mix designed for repairing roadways, overlays, or runways allows for a much stronger top layer, creating a simpler solution to strengthen a pre-existing structure.
• Cost-effective: Fiber is a convenient and cost-effective way to eliminate or reduce the need for other reinforcement, saving time, labor, and red tape.
• Less degradation: Most fiber options are far less susceptible to decay than rebar or other reinforcement, making them a great option for retaining walls and pads.