A Review of the Combined Effect of Fibers and Nano Materials on the Technical Performance of Mortar and Concrete

Abstract

Nowadays, both nanomaterials and fibers have tremendous application in various industries, and they are a significant research area in the construction industry particularly. Thus, it is critical to have a comprehensive review to show the simultaneous impact of fibers and nanomaterials on the technical performance of different types of main construction materials such as mortar and concrete. The current work accomplishes this by providing a comprehensive review of the relevant literature on various nanomaterials and fibers through using a literate experimental database of conducted studies that have at least a type of fiber with one nanomaterial in the same mix. Accordingly, the collected data were analyzed, and they were compared to their control mixes in which no fiber and nanomaterials were used. The study majorly focuses on the effects of fibers and nanomaterials on fresh and hardened properties of produced mixes in terms of density, workability, mechanical and durability performance with consideration of microstructure and electrical resistivity as well. The study outcome provides a systematic knowledge and thorough guide to selecting and combining different fibers with nanoparticles to improve concrete/mortar performance effectively, in which not only the optimum percentage for the use of both fiber and nanomaterials are identified, but also is helpful to promote further research.