Macro Synthetic Fiber Reinforcement

Confirmation that fiber reinforcement is the most effective solution for concrete slab reinforcement.

Fiber reinforcement has been successfully utilized for decades in industrial warehouses, pavements, residential slabs and more.

Fiber Advantages Over Rebar/WWF

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Is your wire/bar properly placed?
ACI 360 states 3.2.2 “Bar and wire reinforcement should be stiff enough to be accurately located in the upper 1/3 of the slab.”

14.9 “One and one-half to 2 in. of concrete cover is preferred.”

Table 3.1 “Welded-wire reinforcement sheets for crack-width control – can actually increase the number of random cracks, particularly at wider joint spacings.”

Recognized in ACI

Since its adoption by the American Concrete Institute (ACI) as an alternate system to rebar/wire mesh in 2010, fiber has become the reinforcement of choice.

ACI 360-10 Guide to Design of Slabs-on-Ground
3.2.2 “Slabs reinforcement can consist of bars, weld wire reinforcement sheets, steel fibers, or macrosynthetic fibers.”

ACI 544-18 – Guide to Design with Fiber-Reinforced Concrete
1.1 “Fibers reliably control cracking and improve material resistance to deterioration as a result of fatigue, impact, and shrinkage”

Applications

– Slab on ground/grade
– Decorative
– Slab on composite metal deck
– Pavements
– Pervious concrete
– Shotcrete
– Precast structures
– Residential Basement Walls

Fibers are 3-dimensional reinforcement that offer many benefits, including:
– Always properly placed
– Reduced crack width opening
– Better performance under variable loading
– Impact resistance

Why fibers are superior?

Performance: Fibers are an integral component of the mix, guaranteed to be properly placed every time.

Speed: Eliminating the need for placing and tying wire/bar, especially with the use of a laser screed, accelerates construction time.

Safety: The use of fibers reduces construction risk by eliminating reinforcement placement errors and improves jobsite safety, removing tripping hazards from wire/bar.

Impact Resistance: Fibers enhance toughness, improving the slab’s resistance to abrasion and impact-related shear stresses.

Fiber Reinforcement in Practice

Fiber reinforcement is an alternate to wire/bar in a properly designed slab.

Always follow ACI Guidelines for proper jointing to control random cracking.

No special tools are required to place fiber reinforced concrete (See FRC’s Broom Test for broom recommendations).

Concrete that is fiber reinforced is pumped effectively with round-bar grates to eliminate build-up.

Fibers hold a concrete mix together, minimizing segregation when pumping.

Be Aware: All macro synthetic fibers do not perform the same. Be sure to ask for fibers supplied and tested by FRC. FRC takes pride in providing the highest quality fiber reinforcement in the market.

CONTACT

For questions concerning Macro Synthetic Fiber Reinforcement, contact:
Dan Large, 262-685-7749 or dan.large@frcllc.us
Cole Large, 262-685-8949 or cole.large@frcllc.us
Cael Large, 262-339-5111 or cael.large@frcllc.us