I

n the past seve ral ye a r s, an increasing number of

c o n t ractors have placed concrete containing
p o l y p ro pylene fibers. Fiber manufacturers have pro-
moted the material as a practical altern a t i ve to the
use of welded wire fabric for control of shrinkage and
t e m p e ra t u re cracking. They cite the ease with which
fibers can be added to concrete and also state that
adding fibers reduces shri n k a g e, inhibits shri n k a g e
c racking, reduces permeability and improves impact
and abrasion re s i s t a n c e. There is, howe ve r, conflicting
data concerning the effects of polypro pylene fibers on
the properties of concrete.
This article reviews some of the suggested applica-
tions for concrete re i n f o rced with fibers and surveys re-
cent studies concerning pro p e rties of the fiber- re i n-
f o rced concre t e. We limited our survey to data obtained
f rom tests on concretes containing either 1.5 or 1.6
pounds of collated fibrillated polypro pylene fiber per
cubic yard of concre t e. These are dosage rates re c o m-
mended by the two major polypro pylene fiber manufac-
t u re r s. Results of the testing are fra g m e n t a ry because
t h e re have been a limited number of tests and test con-
ditions investigated. Few of the studies invo l ved field
mixing of the concrete containing fibers.
REASONS FOR USING POLYPROPYLENE FIBERS
An unre s t rained concrete member will shorten in all
d i rections when it dries or cools. But because most con-
c rete stru c t u ral members are at least partially re s t ra i n e d ,
tensile stresses build up when the concrete dries or
c o o l s. The stresses are about the same as those that
would occur if the concrete had been allowed to contra c t
f reely and had then been pulled back to its ori g i n a l
length. When these stresses exceed the tensile stre n g t h
of the concre t e, the member cra c k s. Me a s u res that can
be taken to control this cracking include reducing the
potential shrinkage of the concre t e, providing joints to
c o n t rol crack location and adding nonstru c t u ral re i n-
f o rc e m e n t .
Even if joints are used to control crack location, cra c k s
may still occur between joints. And in stru c t u ral re i n-
f o rced concre t e, added measures may be needed to con-
t rol shrinkage and tempera t u re cracking. Goals for the
engineer and contractor are to reduce the number of
c racks and to keep ones that do form from opening up
too wide. Adding polypro pylene fibers to the concre t e
has been suggested as one way of achieving these goals.
Other suggested applications for concrete containing
p o l y p ro pylene fibers include stru c t u res such as median
b a r riers that are subjected to impact loads, placements
w h e re all materials must be nonmetallic and areas re-
q u i ring materials that are resistant to alkalis and other
c h e m i c a l s.
EFFECTS OF FIBERS ON FRESH CONCRETE
Sl ump ef fect s
When fibers are added to the concrete slump will de-
c rease (1, 2, 3, 4).* Ac c o rding to one fiber manufactur-
e rs re p re s e n t a t i ve, the reduction in slump depends on
the length of fiber used; longer fibers cause a gre a t e r
slump reduction. Data from recent labora t o ry and field
tests indicate slump losses ranging from
1
2 inch to slight-
ly over 3 inches, but there is little correlation betwe e n
slump reduction and fiber length (Table 1).
Co n t ractors are cautioned not to add water to re s t o re
lost slump. Even at the lower slump, workability of fiber
re i n f o rced concrete is said to be adequate for placing,
compacting and finishing the concre t e. Adding water
Polypr opylene
fiber s in concrete
What do the tests tell us?
BY W. R. MALISCH
Initial Final Fiber Reference
Slump Slump Length (see end of
(inches) (inches) (inches) article)
3
1
2 3 2 2
5
1
4 2
3
4 2 2
6
3
4 4
3
4 1
1
2 3
5 1.9 2 4
4.9 2.1 2 4
4
1
2 2
1
2
3
4 6
TABLE 1. EFFECT OF POLYPROPYLENE
FIBERS ON CONCRETE SLUMP
w o nt improve workability but will reduce strength and
i n c rease shri n k a g e.
In some cases, such as for slipformed median barri e r s,
use of a more cohesive concrete with a lower slump may
actually be beneficial. Edges of the in-place concrete are
less likely to crumble and fall away, and the barrier itself
w o nt subside as much before setting occurs.
One re s e a rcher (5) suggests that polypro pylene fibers
might act as dampers or energy absorbers during the
c o n c rete compaction pro c e s s. He recommends peri o d-
ic density checks on the compacted concrete to detect
poor compaction that might cause increases in poro s i t y
and poor perf o rm a n c e. Data from three studies (2, 3, 4)
s h ow that the fibers had little or no effect on unit we i g h t
of the concre t e. Howe ve r, unit weight wasnt measure d
on the in-place concre t e.
Pl ast i c shri nkage cracki ng
A test similar to one described in CONCRETE CO N-
S T RUCTION (September 1985, page 775) was used to
c o m p a re early cracking behavior of slabs made with
plain concre t e, concrete re i n f o rced with we l d e d - w i re
f a b ric and concrete containing polypro pylene fibers (6).
Cement content of the concrete was 494 pounds per cu-
bic yard at a water-cement ratio of 0.61 and with a 1-inch
maximum size aggre g a t e. Slabs we re 2 feet wide, 3 feet
long and 2 inches thick. Edges of the concrete we re re-
s t rained and surfaces of the freshly placed concrete we re
immediately exposed under rapid drying conditions.
Fibers significantly reduced cracking potential as deter-
mined from a weighted ave rage value that took into ac-
count crack length and width.
Using a different test method than the one descri b e d
a b ove, a No rwegian re s e a rcher (3) exposed fiber- re i n-
f o rced and plain concrete and mortar samples to seve re
d rying conditions shortly after casting. Doughnut-
shaped concrete specimens we re cast with a steel ri n g
in the center. The steel ring re s t rained shri n k a g e, caus-
ing the specimens to crack as they dried. The re s e a rc h e r
concluded that even modest additions of polypro py l e n e
fibers resulted in a considerable reduction of the sensi-
tivity of concrete and mortar to plastic shrinkage cra c k s
caused by early dry i n g .
EFFECTS OF FIBERS ON HARDENED CONCRETE
Data re p o rted here are generally for concretes con-
taining the manufacture r s recommended fiber dosage
a m o u n t s, either 1.5 or 1.6 pounds of fiber per cubic yard
of concre t e. This re p resents a volume concentration of
a p p roximately 0.1 perc e n t .
Dr yi ng shri nkage
T h e re have been conflicting re p o rts concerning the ef-
fect of polypro pylene fibers on shrinkage that occurs af-
ter concrete has hardened. A pilot study re p o rted in 1982
(7) indicated that polypro pylene fibers reduced shri n k-
age of plain concrete specimens by about 75 perc e n t .
Howe ve r, more recent test results dont agree with these
f i n d i n g s. One re s e a rcher (2) concluded that the total
s h rinkage for concrete containing polypro pylene fibers
is approximately equal to shrinkage of concrete without
the fibers. Another re s e a rcher (4) found that fiber con-
c rete shrinks less than plain concrete but that the differ-
ence in shrinkage is small. Sh rinkage of 3000 psi con-
c rete with fibers was 6.8 percent less than that of plain
c o n c re t e, and shrinkage of 4500 psi concrete with fibers
was 4.9 percent less than that of plain concre t e.
Di f f e rent mix pro p o rt i o n s, specimen size s, dry i n g
conditions and testing pro c e d u res we re used by the re-
s e a rchers in the studies mentioned above. And conclu-
sions we re based upon testing of a limited number of
s p e c i m e n s. A soon-to-be-published study (8), based on
a larger number of tests, concludes that polypro py l e n e
fibers reduce plastic and drying shrinkage when added
Plain Fiber-reinf. Fiber Reference
Concrete Concrete Length (see end of
Strength Strength (inches) article)
(psi) (psi)
5630 6470 2 2
4880 5370 2 2
7290 7230 1
1
2 3
2810 2690 2 4
4750 4880 2 4
5700 5850
3
4 8
5700 5270 1 8
4250 4630 2
1
4 9
5930 6260 2 10
5840* 6480* 2 10
TABLE 2. EFFECT OF POLYPROPYLENE FIBERS
ON CONCRETE COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH
Plain Fiber-reinf. Fiber Reference
Concrete Concrete Length (see end of
Strength Strength (inches) article)
680 700 2 2
680 725 2 2
530 555 2 4
815 800 2 4
865 870
3
4 8
865 890 1 8
570 665 2
1
4 9
750 755 2 10
730* 760* 2 10
TABLE 3. EFFECT OF POLYPROPYLENE FIBERS
ON CONCRETE FLEXURAL STRENGTH
* These specimens cured 3 days wet and 25 days dry
before testing.
* These specimens cured 3 days wet and 25 days dry
before testing.
at the manufacture r s recommended dosage ra t e s. Co n-
c retes containing fibers consistently exhibited less
s h rinkage than plain concre t e. But no conclusions we re
made re g a rding actual percentage differences found as a
function of the amount or type of fiber used. The re-
s e a rcher stated that because of scatter in individual test
data, shrinkage testing re q u i res a large number of test
specimens in order to interpret tre n d s.
Compressi ve, fl exural and t ensi l e st r engt h
Co m p re s s i ve strength comparisons between plain
c o n c rete and concrete with fibers we re made in seve ra l
recent studies (2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10). Results are summari ze d
in Table 2. Some re s e a rchers have concluded that there
a re no significant compre s s i ve strength differences be-
t ween mixes with and without polypro pylene fibers.
Others have found a modest increase in compre s s i ve
s t rength when fibers are added.
Results of tests made on beams tested in flexure are
s u m m a ri zed in Table 3. These tests (2, 4, 8, 9, 10) show
either no effect of fibers on flexural strength or a small
i n c rease in modulus of ru p t u re. Di rect and indirect ten-
sile testing of concrete has indicated little improve m e n t
in tensile strength when fibers are added (2, 4). It should
again be noted that most of the results in Tables 2 and 3
a re based upon a limited number of tests.
Impact , abrasi on and fat i gue r esi st ance
In two studies (2, 7), impact tests have been conduct-
ed on concrete made with polypro pylene fibers. In one
of the studies, significantly improved resistance to im-
pact was observed in one test but a second test showe d
little improvement in impact re s i s t a n c e. The re s e a rc h e r
a t t ributed this va riability to nonuniform fiber distri b u-
tion (2). In the other impact resistance study, va ri a b i l i t y
in the test results was large and the re s e a rcher expre s s e d
u n c e rtainty about the individual test results as well as
the test itself (7).
In one study (11), concrete containing polypro py l e n e
fibers demonstrated an ability to sustain large deform a-
tions without shattering. Two specimens 21 inches high
with a 6x6-inch cross-section we re tested in compre s-
sion. One contained polypro pylene fibers (1.5 pounds
per cubic yard) and the other was made with plain con-
c re t e. Both we re loaded at a deformation rate of 0.025
inch per minute and the maximum load carried by each
was approximately the same. Howe ve r, the plain con-
c rete specimen fra c t u red completely after short e n i n g
0.32 inch while the fiber concrete shortened 2.00 inches
without breaking apart completely.
T h e re isnt much re p o rted data concerning abra s i o n
resistance of polypro pylene fiber concre t e. One study (2)
indicated ve ry little difference in abrasion resistance be-
t ween plain concrete and concrete containing
p o l y p ro pylene fibers. Details of the testing method we re
not given. Another study (12) indicated improved abra-
sion resistance when polypro pylene fibers we re added to
the concre t e. A rotating cutter method (U.S. Army Co r p s
of Engineers method CRD-C 52) was modified by using a
20-pound load instead of a 10-pound load and an abra-
sion time of 6 minutes instead of 2 minutes.
Po l y p ro pylene fibers significantly increased flexura l
fatigue resistance of plain concrete in one study (2).
Specimens we re subjected to re p e t i t i ve loads at about 60
p e rcent of the modulus of ru p t u re. Co n c rete with fibers
withstood over twice as many cycles as plain concre t e.
SUMMARY
Conclusions here are based pri m a rily upon labora t o-
ry studies of concretes containing about 0.1 percent by
volume of polypro pylene fibers. This dosage corre-
sponds with the manufacture r s recommended dosages
of 1.5 or 1.6 pounds of fiber per cubic yard of concre t e.
Data on concretes containing higher volume perc e n t-
ages of fiber we re nt re v i e we d .
Evaluations of data giving conflicting results are com-
plicated by the fact that many of the testing methods
used by different investigators have nt been standard-
i zed. This and the limited number of tests conducted in
s e ve ral of the studies make many of the conclusions ten-
t a t i ve at best.
Adding fibers reduces the slump of concre t e. There ap-
pears to be less plastic shrinkage and less plastic
s h rinkage cracking when concrete contains polypro py-
lene fibers.
Drying shrinkage after hardening is reduced when
fibers are added to concrete but the amount of the re-
duction is difficult to predict using current testing
m e t h o d s.
Some increase in compre s s i ve and flexural strength is
possible when fibers are added to concrete and an in-
c rease in fatigue resistance has been noted by one re-
s e a rc h e r.
Results of two abrasion resistance studies are contra-
d i c t o ry and there are nt enough test results to perm i t
d rawing a conclusion. There is also insufficient data
c o n c e rning impact re s i s t a n c e.
If the effects of polypro pylene fibers on concrete pro p-
e rties are to be conclusively demonstrated by labora t o-
ry tests, more data are needed. Field observations of in-
place concrete are perhaps a better indicator of
p e rf o rmance at this time than are the results of labora-
t o ry tests. Another article in this issue gives some exam-
ples of field perf o rm a n c e.
References
1. Guirguis, B. E. and Potter, R. J., Polypropylene Fibres in
Concrete, Technical Report TR/F90, Cement and Concrete
Association of Australia, 1985
2. Aitcin, Pierre-Claude et al, The Use of Fibre Reinforced
Concrete for Highway Rehabilitation, Etude #231, IGM85-
305-231, Industrial Materials Research Institute, National
Research Council of Canada, 1985
3. Dahl, P. A., Plastic Shrinkage and Cracking Tendency of
Mortar and Concrete Containing Fibermesh, FCB Cement
and Concrete Research Institute, Norway, 1985
4. Litvin, A., Report to Wire Reinforcement Institute on
Properties of Concrete Containing Polypropylene Fibers,
Construction Technology Laboratories, Portland Cement As-
sociation, 1985
5. Hannant, D. J., Polypropylene Fibres in Concrete, Mor-
tar, and Cement, Chapter 7 in Fibre Cements and Fibre
Concretes, John Wiley & Sons, 1978, page 96
6. Kraai, P. P., Crack Control Methods: Welded Wire Fabric
vs. CFP Fibers, for Fibermesh Company, 1985
7. Zollo, R. F., Collated Fibrillated Polypropylene Fibers in
FRC, Fiber Reinforced Concrete: International Symposium,
SP 81, American Concrete Institute, 1984, page 397
8. Zollo, R. F. et al, Plastic and Drying Shrinkage in Con-
crete Containing Collated Fibrillated Polypropylene Fibers,
to be published in 1986
9. Hanna, A. N., Preliminary Evaluation of Forta Fibre Rein-
forced Concrete, performed for Forta Corporation by Con-
struction Technology Laboratories, Portland Cement Associ-
ation, 1981
10. Static Load Test of Fibermesh vs. Welded Wire Fabric,
F.E.D. Report No. 5, Fibermesh Inc. (Tests performed by
Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.), 1985
11. Concrete Shatter Resistance Under Compressive Load-
ing of Fibermesh vs. Plain, F.E.D. Report No. 6, Fibermesh
Inc. (Tests performed by Paul P. Kraai), 1985
12. Kraai, P. P., Abrasion Testing of Fibermesh Concrete,
for Fibermesh Company, 1984
P U B L I C AT I O N# C 8 6 0 3 6 3
Copyright 1986, The Aberdeen Gro u p
All rights re s e r v e d