Utilisation of high-strength concrete in modern infrastructure requires materials that combine high load-carrying capacity with improved ductility and serviceability. This study provides an extensive experimental programme carried out to evaluate the influence of SF on the mechanical properties of flexural beam testing supported by a numerical simulation and microstructural characteristics of high-strength M60 grade concrete. SFs were added at volume fractions of 0.75%, 1.0% and 1.25% to identify optimal dosage. Standard tests were conducted to evaluate compressive strength, split tensile strength and flexural strength at a curing age of 7, 28 and 56 days, while full-scale reinforced concrete beams are tested under monotonic loading to investigate load vs deflection behaviour, stiffness degradation, crack development and ductility. In addition, microstructural analysis was performed using scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction to investigate fibre–matrix bonding and hydration processes. The results indicated that addition of SFs significantly improved tensile and flexural performance at an optimal dosage of 1.0% fibre content. SFRC beams showed delayed crack initiation, reduced crack width and improved ductility compared to conventional high-strength concrete beams. The numerical simulation showed closed agreement with the experimental results, confirming the validity of the developed finite element model.
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Thurimella et al. (2026) studied this question.
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