New system for vibrating and orientation of steel fibers in masonry mortars

Abstract

The incorporation of reinforcing fibers during the kneading process has become an efficient method to improve the flexural strength of building binder materials. In this work, a new system for the vibration and orientation of metallic fibers has been developed. This allows the fibers to be positioned perpendicular to the direction of the flexural stress. This vibrating system for construction mortars in a fresh state improves the performance of mortars made with recycled aggregate, increasing their mechanical resistance and their application within the building sector. Testswere carried out with mortars made with two types of recycled aggregates and two different percentages of reinforcing fibers. The results show thatby applying the vibrating system implemented, it is possible to increase the mechanical resistance of mortars made with recycled aggregate by more than 15%. © 2021 Elsevier Ltd