Concrete floor technology continues to evolve to meet the needs of building owners at a rapid pace. Members of the CFCAO are pleased to offer steel fibre reinforced concrete solutions to meet the demands of heavy floor users and exterior pavements.
Steel fibres have a proven track record. Steel fibre reinforcing has been used in Canada for decades to economically toughen concrete floors, in a practical manner, against the stresses created by applied loads and internal drying stresses. Steel fibre has been installed in countless buildings in Ontario and around the World for every type of floor user. Originally introduced to Canada in 1984 by CFCAO members, steel fibres have proven to be extremely economical, durable and versatile in addressing the varying needs of heavy floor users in particular. State of the art computer designs supported by large manufacturers create exacting designs that meet almost every need.
Whether steel or synthetic, all fibres are not equal. There is no common standard configuration for steel fibres. Each manufacturer makes a particular configuration which produces it's own unique performance characteristics. Fibres come in a variety of lengths (30 mm to 60 mm), in different cross sections (round wire, crescent & slit sheet), with different anchorages (hooked end, wavy & pinched end) and dosage rates (15kgs/m3 to 45kgs/m3). A specified design with one type of fibre must not be substituted for another fibre - the floor must be redesigned for each particular fibre in order to avoid potential shortfalls in actual performance. Fibres of one type must not be substituted for a different fibre without a performance design review. It is also not appropriate to specify a dosage rate without the associated product type and manufacturer. Simply put, there can be large variations in the performance of a floor using different fibres at the same dosage rate.
Modern computer designs take the guesswork out of design. Designing concrete floor slabs has traditionally resembled a black art, in that designers use different methods and arrive at different results when calculating slab thickness, compressive strength, subgrade support and the required amount of reinforcing for a given set of loading conditions. Choosing the optimal combination of slab thickness, compressive strength and reinforcing for a given set of loading conditions can produce exceptional performance and improved value. Steel fibre designs are derived using state of the art computer analysis and modeling of real life load situations. These programs allow the modern designer to explore all the load conditions from the quality of the granular base up through the forklift wheel contact pressure to arrive at an optimal design to maximize performance and minimize future maintenance and the cost of each floor slab for each type of usage.
Advantages
State of the art structural design
Creates more ductile concrete with reduced cracking
Reduces the effect of shrinkage curling
More economical than rebar solutions
Fast installation thereby reducing schedule time
Easy materials handling
Supported by large manufacturers
Very durable
Does not interfere with guidewire signals
Can be used inside or outside
Does not cause concrete delaminations
Can replace wire mesh in most elevated slabs
Disadvantages
May be visible at the surface locally
Requires extra care while finishing
May be dislodged locally at sawcut contraction joints
May develop surface rust spots in corrosive environments
May not be suitable for architectural applications
All fibres are not equal in terms of performance or design
Please click HERE to request pricing. If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail.
Steel Fibre Manufacturers:
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The Concrete Floor Contractors Association of Ontario
70 Leek Crescent, Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, L4B 1H1
Tel: (905) 582-9825 Fax: (416) 981-3913
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