ABSTRACT

The work reported here is a part of a general programme aimed at quantifying and, if possible, modelizing the contribution of metallic glass fibres to the durability of thin concrete repairs (about 50 mm) cast on horizontal concrete bases.

This paper presents a systematic study of the length changes of both the fresh repair concrete and the base of old concrete during the first 24 hours. The results show that :

The length changes of the fresh overlay concrete is a composition of its own length changes and of those of the base concrete (which swells, absorbing part of the water content of the fresh overlay).

The reinforcement by metallic glass fibres, even in proportion as low as vf = 0.3 %, reduces the swelling of the fresh overlay, whether its origin is autogenous or due to stretching by adhesion to a swelling support.