Corrosion resistance of steel fibre reinforced concrete - A literature review

Steel fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC) is increasingly being used in the construction of civil infrastructure. However, there are inconsistencies among international standards and guidelines regarding the consideration of carbon-steel fibres for the structural verification of SFRC exposed to corrosive environments. This paper presents a review of the published research regarding carbonation- and chloride-induced corrosion of SFRC, and proposes a deterioration theory for cracked SFRC exposed to chlorides and carbonation, based on the damage at the fibre-matrix interface. The review confirms an overall agreement among academics and regulators regarding the durability of uncracked SFRC exposed to chlorides and carbonation. Contrariwise, the durability of cracked SFRC is under discussion at the technical and scientific level, as there is a large dispersion on the experimental results and some of the mechanisms governing the corrosion of carbon-steel fibres in cracks and its effects on the fracture behaviour of SFRC are not fully understood.