Directed orientation of steel fibres in ultra-high-performance cementitious composite using the magnetic field

Abstract

Ultra-high-performance fibre-reinforced cementitious composites are one of the key industries in the field of concrete technology. Thanks to their exceptional mechanical properties and significantly improved ductility, they are widely used for various special applications such as defensive and protective structures. In composite materials, it is desirable to place the reinforcement where it is needed and in the direction it is needed. In fibre-reinforced cementitious composites, this orientation is possible through a magnetic field. In the framework of this study, a prototype device for controlled fibre orientation in a cementitious composite was developed. Mixtures of both cementitious composite and ultrasound gel having similar rheological properties to the cementitious matrix were tested. It has been observed that is possible to control the orientation of the steel fibres and direct the fibres in the desired direction by employing an electromagnetic field.