The influence of fibres upon crack development in reinforced concrete subject to uniaxial tension

This investigation was designed to assess the possibility of incorporating steel fibres in reinforced concrete to retard the development of cracks and thus facilitate the use of steels of higher strength. To obtain this information, 75 × 75 × 500 mm concrete prisms were tested in uniaxial tension applied to the protruding ends of the concentrically placed reinforcing bars. Variables that were studied included type, size and quantity of fibre and type of main reinforcing bar. The inclusion of steel fibres in the concrete significantly increased the stress in the reinforcement corresponding to the development of the maximum allowable crack width in the concrete.