Exploring fiber reinforcements in concrete and its challenges: a comprehensive review

The aim of this comprehensive review of fiber reinforcements in concrete is to understand its impacts on the overall performance and its challenges. Consequently, the use of fibers in concrete can be deemed reliable and effective. This review explores the effects of fibers on the mechanical, durability, and microscopic properties of concrete such as workability, compressive strength (CS), splitting tensile strength (STS), flexural strength (FS), modulus of elasticity (E), ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV), toughness, ductility, energy absorption, microscopic properties (scanning electron microscopy: SEM) and mineralogy (X-ray diffraction: XRD). In this regard, more than 170 papers were collected, reviewed, and analyzed concerning the impact of fibers on the properties of concrete. This review paper plays a crucial role in identifying the optimum dosage of different types of fibers, size, shape, aspect ratio (AR), mix-design, evaluating performance, and providing practical guidelines. It contributes to the overall understanding and advancement of fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC).