Pavement Applications for Steel Fibrous Concrete

A number of significant field experiments have been carried out to evaluate the suitability of steel fibrous concrete as an overlay for bridges and pavements, and to study such variables as concrete mix design, fiber type and quality, joint spacing and design, overlay thickness, and the type of bonding to the old surface. Some general observations and comments are relevant: (1) Steel fibrous concrete overlays can be prepared using existing mixing and placing equipment; (2) steel fibers are available for experimental evaluation in reasonably large quantities in the United States; (3) steel fibrous concrete overlays as thin as two inches may be suitable in some applications; (4) there are reasons for expecting safisfactory performance from fibrous concrete overlays containing relatively low quantities of fibers; (5) mix and overlay design changes have helped eliminate premature cracking (nonlive load) of the overlays; (6) the use of shrinkage compensating cements and debonding techniques offers the potential of significant increases in joint spacing.