Self-compacting steel fibre reinforced concrete for precasted sandwich panels : experimental and numerical research

Abstract

In Portugal, steel fibres are the most used for concrete reinforcement, and flooring and tunnelling are the main applications of fibre reinforced concrete (FRC). In last years the prefabrication industry is showing more interest in collaborating in FRC research projects. The research carried out in consortium by University of Minho (UM) and two private companies for the development of self-compacting steel fibre reinforced concrete (SCSFRC) is an example of this new strategy. This research has the following main tasks: conceive a rational mix design method; evaluate the most relevant material properties and the structural behaviour of laminar elements; develop numerical tools. This paper intends to show the research strategy adopted in the SCSFRC project, since it is a typical example of the methodology followed by the UM research group, the most active in Portugal, in the FRC domain.