Fiber synergy in Hybrid Fiber Reinforced Concrete (HyFRC) in flexure and direct shear

In most cases, fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) contains only one type of fiber. The use of two or more types of fibers in a suitable combination has the potential to improve the mechanical properties of concrete, and result in performance synergy. This combining of fibers, often called hybridization, is investigated in this paper under flexure and direct shear. Along with a reference plain concrete mix, several single-fiber reinforced concrete mixes and two-fiber reinforced hybrid composite mixes were cast using diverse fiber combinations. Two types of macro-steel fibers and a micro-cellulose fiber were examined. Flexural and direct shear tests were performed and the results were analyzed to identify synergy, if any, associated with various fiber combinations. The paper highlights the influence of load configuration on fiber synergy.