Fracture toughness of fiber reinforced shotcrete: issues and challenges

All cement-based materials are brittle and show a poor response to loads applied in tension. These micro-fracturing materials, therefore, also portray a highly strain-rate sensitive behavior and demonstrate an inferior resistance to fatigue and impulsively applied loads. In shotcrete applications, these limitations are particularly worrisome since inadequate sub-base rigidity may often require a high level of material deformability, toughness and capability to absorb energy. One highly effective solution is that of fiber reinforcement that can dramatically enhance material toughness in shotcrete. This keynote will demonstrates how shotcrete is different from conventional concrete, highlight the leading trends in fiber-reinforced shotcrete, discuss the challenges and elaborate on the opportunities that lay ahead.