Applications of high-performance fiber-reinforced cement-based composites

Advanced composites and the fundamental understanding of their behaviour is a rapidly expanding branch within the field of civil engineering materials. In particular, fiber-reinforced cement-based materials have had a great evolution in these years, so that they are more and more utilized in the building sector. Besides, large efforts have been made to develop high-performance cements and concretes showing further performance improvements. High-performance fiber-reinforced cement composites include, for example, materials such as SIFCON (Slurry Infiltrated Fiber CONcrete), fiber-reinforced DSP (Densified with Small Particles), and fiber-reinforced MDF (Macro-Defect-Free) cements. Developments of these materials were possible due to: (a) the introduction of new reinforcement systems; (b) the development of high-performance cement-based matrices, which present greatly improved microstructural properties in terms of strength and durability; (c) the development of adequate processing techniques (including controlling chemical reactions) which allow us to obtain composite materials with surprising toughness properties. After a brief description of high-performance cement-based matrices and relative composites, two different examples among the above-cited products will be deeply presented.