CARDIFRC® – Development and mechanical properties. Part I: Development and workability

Abstract

Part I of this three-part paper describes the various steps that led to the development of a class of high performance short steel fibre-reinforced cementitious composites (HPFRCCs) which has been patented under the trade name CARDIFRC®. This class of materials generally contains no coarse aggregates and is characterised by high tensile/flexural strength and high toughness. A method is proposed for quantifying the workability of such a mix without fibres in terms of its fracture toughness.