Creep Behavior of Fiber-Reinforced Concrete

Fiber-Reinforced Concrete (FRC) combines a cementitious matrix with dispersed short fibres—typically steel or polymers—to enhance tensile strength, ductility and post-cracking response. Under sustained loading, concrete exhibits creep: time-dependent deformations that can alter stress distributions and serviceability in structural elements. The incorporation of fibres does not significantly change matrix creep before cracking but critically influences the material once microcracks form. Fibres bridge cracks, control crack widths and support load transfer, thereby reducing creep-induced deflections and stress redistributions in critical zones. Polymeric fibres may be subject to their own creep, limiting long-term performance under permanent tensile stresses, while steel fibres offer greater dimensional stability. Temperature and humidity further modulate the composite creep response, complicating the development of universally applicable constitutive models. Accurate prediction of long-term deformations is vital for the design of bridges, tunnels, nuclear containment formworks and other infrastructural systems, where deferred strains impact durability, maintenance cycles and safety margins. Advances in experimental techniques and standardised testing have begun to close gaps between research and design codes, with global studies underscoring FRC’s potential to enhance lifecycle performance while addressing sustainability goals.

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Creep Behavior of Fiber-Reinforced Concrete publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in creep behavior of fiber-reinforced concrete across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Creep: Time-dependent deformation of concrete under sustained load.

Fiber-Reinforced Concrete: Composite material in which discrete fibres dispersed in a concrete matrix improve tensile strength, toughness and post-cracking performance.

Post-Cracking Behaviour: Residual load-carrying capacity and deformation response of FRC after matrix cracking.

Flexural Creep: Creep deformation occurring under bending loads, especially important for crack-bridging fibres.

Alkali-Activated Slag Concrete: Cementitious composite formed by activating industrial slag with alkaline solutions, offering reduced carbon footprint and distinct rheological properties.

References

1. Experimental analysis of time dependent phenomena and temperature effects on macro-synthetic fibre reinforced concretes in different loading conditions. Construction and Building Materials (2022).
2. Effect of Stress–Strength Ratio and Fiber Length on Creep Property of Polypropylene Fiber-Reinforced Alkali-Activated Slag Concrete. Buildings (2022).
3. Recommendation of RILEM TC 261-CCF: test method to determine the flexural creep of fibre reinforced concrete in the cracked state. Materials and Structures (2021).