Reinforced Concrete Technologies with Recycled Steel Fibers
Summary
Reinforced concrete incorporating recycled steel fibres has emerged as a sustainable alternative to traditional steel-fibre-reinforced composites, addressing both environmental concerns and structural demands. Fibres reclaimed from end-of-life tyres and industrial scrap are introduced into the cementitious matrix to enhance post-cracking behaviour, improve toughness and control crack propagation. The irregular geometry and surface texture of recycled fibres promote mechanical interlock with the mortar, contributing to greater energy absorption under flexural and shear loading. Concurrently, the use of recycled fibres reduces embodied carbon and diverts waste from landfill, aligning with circular economy objectives. Key parameters in mix design include fibre dosage, aspect ratio and dispersion, as well as the balance between workability and fibre content. Optimised mixtures demonstrate notable gains in compressive, tensile and flexural strength, along with improved durability under freeze-thaw and abrasion cycles. Practical applications span structural beams, pavements, precast elements and blast-resistant panels, where enhanced ductility and energy dissipation capacity are critical. Ongoing research fosters a deeper understanding of fibre–matrix interactions, life-cycle benefits and standardisation of performance criteria to facilitate wider adoption in the construction industry.
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Reinforced Concrete Technologies with Recycled Steel Fibers publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in reinforced concrete technologies with recycled steel fibers across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Recycled steel fibres: Steel filaments reclaimed from waste tyres or industrial scrap, used to reinforce concrete and control crack propagation.
Workability: The ease with which a concrete mix can be mixed, placed and compacted without segregation.
Ductility: The capacity of a material or structural element to undergo significant deformation under load before failure.
Life cycle analysis: A method for assessing the environmental impacts associated with all stages of a product’s life, from raw-material extraction to disposal.
Flexural strength: The ability of a beam or slab to resist bending, expressed as the maximum tensile stress at failure under load.
References
- Sustainable design and carbon-credited application framework of recycled steel fibre reinforced concrete. Developments in the Built Environment (2024).
- Experimental investigation and analytical prediction of flexural behaviour of reinforced concrete beams with steel fibres extracted from waste tyres. Case Studies in Construction Materials (2023).
- A review on the properties of concrete reinforced with recycled steel fiber from waste tires. REVIEWS ON ADVANCED MATERIALS SCIENCE (2022).
- A Comprehensive Review of Incorporating Steel Fibers of Waste Tires in Cement Composites and Its Applications. Materials (2022).
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