Organic Reinforcement Fibres for Cement and Concrete

The development of fibre-reinforced, cement-based materials is discussed in qualitative terms. It is concluded that, in spite of increasing interest in research into FRC-materials and in the development of FRC technologies and practical applications of these materials - real mass production of FRC has not yet reached the level that might have been expected some years ago.

The authors try to deduce an explanation for this discrepancy and stress some points of importance in connection with the development of these composite materials.

It is concluded that fibres, matrices and production technologies require more specific selection depending on the end product an that there are more serious limitations on the use of FRC-materials than was believed a few years ago.

An interesting exception is asbestos-cement, which has been produced with great success now for more than three-quarters of a century. For reasons of which we are all aware, great importance is attached to the substitution of asbestos-cement by other FRC-materials. It is believed that this can only be achieved by consistent developmental work, with fibres and matrix designed specifically for these types of materials and in such a way that they are compatible with the existing production technology.

A new organic fibre that shows great potential as reinforcement for cement-based materials is presented briefly.