GLAS FIBERS - Glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) has a very important role to play as reinforcement in concrete structures which is exposed to harsh environment conditions where traditional steel reinforcement could corrode. It was found that the unique physical properties of GFRP that made it suitable for applications where conventional steel would be unsuitable. Compressive strength, flexural strength and split tensile strength for these AR glass fibers are more as compared to other glass fibers.
NATURAL FIBERS - The use of thenatural fibers in concrete mixes has beneficial effects with respect to increasing the flexuralstrength and providing a ductile post-cracking behaviour of the fiber reinforced concrete mix,especially for the industrial hemp samples. Similar to the compression tests, specimensprepared with 0.75 or 1% hemp fibers and 20% reduction in coarse aggregate providedrelatively good results. As for samples prepared with 0.5% palm with (10-20) % coarseaggregate reduction and with 1% banana fibers, the results were satisfactorily but to a lesser extent.
SYNTHETIC FIBER – Fatigue strength can be increased by inclusion of macro-fiber in concrete. Essentially, it is the ability of concrete to withstand under cyclic load without failure when exposed to a load. Plain, unreinforced concrete, when subjected to a bending load, will withstand that load with very little movement until the cyclic load exceeds its fatigue strength.