ABSTRACT
Radical Concrete Technology. Edited by R K Dhir and P C Hewlett. Published in 1996 by E & FN Spon, 2-6 Boundary Row, London SE1 8HN, UK. ISBN 0 419 21480 1. ABSTRACT. Plain, unreinforced cementitious composites in general, and concrete in particular, are characterized by low tensile strengths, and low tensile strain capacities; that is, they are brittle. The tensile strain capacity of cement-based materials can be dramatically improved by the addition of fibers. While small amount of fibers (<1%) have been successfully used in bulk concrete construction to overcome brittleness of cement, new processing techniques have helped in the manufacture of thin-sheet products with as high as 15% volume of continuous and discontinuous fibers. Fibers in such large quantities fundamentally alter the nature of the cement-based matrix, and the inherent tensile strength and strain capacity of the matrix itself are greatly enhanced. Such improvements have lead to a new breed of cement-based materials. This paper presents the recent advancements in processing technologies, mechanical behavior, toughening mechanisms and interface properties of fiber reinforced cement composites. Keywords: Cement, Composite, Concrete, Fibers, Interface, Toughness, Strength Surendra P.Shah is a Walter P.Murphy Professor of civil engineering at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, and Director of the NSF Center for Science and Technology of Advanced Cement-Based Materials. He has published more than 300 technical articles and has edited 12 books. He has received the ACI Anderson Award, ASTM Thompson Award, the RILEM Gold Medal Award, and the Swedish Concrete Award. He has been awarded the Alexander von Humboldt Senior Visiting Scientist Award to Germany as well as the NATO Visiting Senior Scientist to France. Shashidhara Marikunte is a Research Associate at the NSF Center for Science and Technology of Advanced Cement-Based Materials, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois. He has authored or co-authored more than 25 technical papers and his research interest is in concrete materials and structures.
