Direct tensile strength of polyolefin fiber reinforced concrete

Abstract

Concrete is a construction material that boasts great versatility in the shapes that it can adopt. Its early stages of development might be dated back to Romans. Regarding its mechanical properties, concrete is known by its remarkable compression strength although it has a reduced ductility and tensile strength. Traditionally, such lower properties have been improved using steel bars forming reinforced concrete (RC). More recently, randomly distributed short fibres have been added to concrete while mixing creating fibre reinforced concrete (FRC). By any of the previously mentioned options, the merger of the concrete properties together with the ones provided by the localized reinforcement of RC or by the continuous reinforcement of fibres of FRC have created a material suitable for a wide range of structures.