How Do Synthetic Fibers Work in Hardened Concrete?
The early age concrete benefits of using synthetic fibers continue to contribute to the hardened concrete. Hardened concrete attributes provided by synthetic fibers are lowered permeability and the resistance to shattering, abrasion, and impact forces. The ability to resist shattering forces is greatly enhanced with the introduction of synthetic fibers to the concrete. When plain concrete is compressed, it will shatter and fail at first crack. Synthetic fibers manufactured specifically for concrete prevent the effect of shattering forces by tightly holding the concrete together. Abrasion resistance is provided when synthetic fibers are used because the water-cement ratio at the surface is not lowered by variable bleed water. The water-cement ratio is more constant at the concrete surface. This improvement is assisted by the internal settlement support value of the synthetic fibers contributing to uniform bleeding. Synthetic fibers reduce the amount of plastic cracking of the concrete.
