Mechanical behaviour of basalt fibre reinforced concrete

Chopped basalt fibre has recently gained popularity in concrete reinforcing applications due to its environmentally friendly manufacturing process and excellent mechanical properties. The aim of this research is to evaluate the relative merit of two types of basalt fibre (bundle dispersion fibres and minibars) in enhancing the mechanical behaviour of concrete. Concrete specimens were cast with three different quantities of each fibre, then evaluated based on flexural and drop-weight impact testing. Interfacial properties were also investigated by scanning electron microscopy. The results indicated both types of fibre increased pre-cracking strength, but only minibars enhanced the post-cracking behaviour, likely due to protection from the polymer.