Durability Study of High-Strength Steel Fiber-Reinforced Concrete

One of the main causes of damage in dam structures is the high-velocity action of water containing solid particles such as silts and boulders, causing abrasion-erosion and cavitation losses during floods at the downstream side, which reduces the stability of the dam. India has more than 5100 large dams and many of them face the challenges of deferred maintenance. At present, high-performance concrete used for repair and restoration of structures at the downstream side is not found to be sustainable. With the objective of providing a suitable solution to this problem, research using high-strength steel fiber-reinforced concrete (HSSFRC) to resist abrasion-erosion and cavitation attack has been undertaken. This paper highlights the performance characteristics of 90 MPa (13.05 ksi) plain concrete and its corresponding steel fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC) by incorporating 1, 1.25, and 1.5% hooked-end steel fibers of 0.55 mm (0.021 in.) diameter with an aspect ratio of 63. Based on the findings, substantial improvement is observed on impact resistance, toughness, and energy absorption capacity of SFRC incorporating 1.25 to 1.5% steel fibers.