Concrete

Aggregates

Fibermesh

Flowable Fill

Fibermesh

Concrete’s Problems

Non-Structural Cracks in Concrete

The tendency for concrete to crack has for years been accepted as natural to its use. There is only one reason that cracks occur in concrete: stresses exist which exceed the strength of the concrete at a specific time. Stresses from external forces can be offset by providing higher structural strengths to concrete structures, pavements and slabs. However, the intrinsic stresses caused by shrinkage within the concrete itself have historically been a problem to control because of their unpredictable variety and occurrence.

The most common type of intrinsic cracking occurs in the plastic state caused by drying shrinkage. These cracks are formed within the first 24 hours after the concrete has been placed.

Settlement and shrinkage cracks may not be observed until some later date. They are often surface sealed by the finishing operation or are simply not wide enough to be seen until the concrete shrinks further or a load causes these weak planes to escalate into visible cracks.

Plastic shrinkage cracks generally pass through the entire slab and form planes of weakness, permanently lowering the integrity of the structure before the concrete has had the opportunity to gain its design strength.

The Fibermesh® Solution

Fibermesh increases concrete‘s natural ability
for lasting integrity.

Fibermesh® engineered fibers substantially reduce the formation of plastic settlement and shrinkage cracks by increasing the tensile strain capacity of plastic concrete. This reduction or elimination of plastic cracks enables the concrete to develop its optimum long-term integrity.

Fibermesh fibers are engineered exclusively for concrete use and manufactured in fibrillated form - bundles of interconnected strands. When these bundles are added to the concrete mix at the rate of 1.5 lb/yd3 (0.9 Kg/m3), the mixing action causes them to open and separate into millions of individual fibers.

These fibers are uniformly distributed throughout the concrete in all directions, providing effective secondary reinforcement for shrinkage crack control. As the concrete hardens and shrinks, microscopic cracks develop. When the micro-cracks intersect a Fibermesh strand, they are blocked and prevented from developing into macro-cracks and potential problems.

The addition of Fibermesh fibers throughout the concrete also serves to minimize the width and length of those cracks that may appear in the hardened state.

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