What are the advantages of Stainless Steel Fibre?
As we know that concrete is one of the widely used construction materials across the world. However, many properties make this renowned structural material vulnerable to cracking. The studies indicate that there are varied reasons for cracking, and one of the predominant reasons amongst them is the weakness against tensile strength. Here comes the use of Stainless Steel Fibre. When Stainless Steel Fibre is incorporated in cement, it significantly enhances combined properties that include strength, toughness, energy absorption, durability, corrosion resistance, water tightness, appearance, and constructability.
Stainless Steel Fibre as a reinforcement material
steel fiber is commonly used in the refractory business to reinforce intense temperature concretes. It is known to sustain the refractory strength in high-temperature gradients. Using steel fiber technology in refractory applications offers broadened benefits like excellent abrasion resistance, exceptional resistance to spalling, remarkable fracture toughness, superior resistance to mechanical and thermal shock along with consistent alloying features.
Better Strength, enriched Durability
As mentioned above, Stainless Steel Fibre reinforced concrete by resisting tensile cracking, fragmentation, and fatigue. The studies show that spacing plays a vital role in strengthening mechanisms. As the closeness of fibre and the bond between fibre and cement decides the quality and can endure tensile load also durability.
High Thermal Cycling
High Thermal Cycling or thermal conductivity is another promising advantage of Stainless Steel Fibre. When Stainless Steel Fibre blends with the matrix; it has a magical effect as it can offer high conductivity levels along with excellent temperature resistance, for demandingthermal applications. The types of Stainless Steel Fibre such as Ferritic stainless steel are
Presistant to corrosion and scaling at elevated temperatures. And Precipitation‐hardening (PH) stainless steel fibres are known for developing high strength and hardness through heat treatment. Besides this, the consistent performance of the Stainless Steel Fibre makes it more desirable and it functions uniformly at every temperature. Another prominent feature of Stainless Steel Fibre is its continuous Fibre Soaking Temperature, as these fibres have the capacity of continuous Fibre Soaking Temperature up to 1100 Degree Celsius.
Corrosion Resistance
Another remarkable benefit of Stainless Steel Fibre is its high corrosion resistance. The studies reveal that the corrosion resistance of Stainless Steel Fibre is noteworthy as the presence of chromium, nickel, carbon, and additional elements such as copper, columbium, aluminum, and molybdenum, are embedded in it. It will completely enhance the desirable features of Stainless Steel Fibre. When Stainless Steel Fibre comes in contact with oxygen, a protective chromium oxide layer forms on its surface that acts as a passive film making the steel corrosion-resistant.
Alleviate Chemical Corrosion in Concrete
The Stainless Steel Fibre also possesses the capacity to resist chemical corrosion in concrete. And concrete is one of the inevitable materials used in industrial applications and is exposed to the harmful atmosphere thus vulnerable to chemical corrosion and this will be a hindrance to construction works. Many pieces of research have been conducted in this regard and found that when Stainless Steel Fibre is incorporated in cement it works effectively preventing corrosion due to chemical reaction.
High Compressive Strength
Many studies indicate that the compressive strength of the Stainless Steel Fibre incorporated cement performance is quite high. And it can reduce spalling and explosive failures due to high fire resistance. As per the study, the reinforcement provided by fibres can work at both amicro and macro level. At a micro-level fibres arrest the development of microcracks, leadingto higher compressive strengths, whereas at a macro level fibres control crack opening, increasing the energy absorption capacity of the composite. The ability of the fibre to control
Pmicro-cracking growth depends majorly on the number of fibres, deformability, and bond to the matrix.
Easy Handling
Another remarkable quality of Stainless Steel Fibre is its quality of dispersion. Due to this quality; Stainless Steel Fibre can be used in concrete especially in industrial applications suchas prefabricated segmental linings for tunnels. Apart from this, Stainless Steel Fibre is economical thus, affordable for industrial applications.