Steel Fiber Reinforced Concrete: A Review of Mechanical Properties and Durability
Yong Liu1, Yihuan Wang1, Wei Zhang2,*, Chun-Chieh Yip3, Yiqun Huang2
1 Rail Transit Branch, China Communications Construction Group Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
2 School of Civil Engineering, Fujian University of Technology, Fuzhou, China
3 Department of Civil Engineering, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Bandar Sungai Long, Cheras, Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
* Corresponding Author: Wei Zhang. Email: 
Structural Durability & Health Monitoring https://doi.org/10.32604/sdhm.2026.085978
Received 21 May 2026; Accepted 27 July 2026; Published online 31 August 2026
Abstract
Steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC) has gained extensive attention for its superior crack resistance, toughness, and post-cracking residual capacity. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of SFRC research covering mechanical properties, fiber–matrix interface bond, durability, structural member behavior, novel materials, and predictive modeling. At the material level, steel fibers improve flexural and tensile behavior most significantly (60%–120%), moderately enhance shear, and contribute limitedly to compressive strength, where their core value lies in converting brittle failure to ductile crushing. The fiber–matrix interface, governed by chemical adhesion, friction, and mechanical anchorage, serves as the critical bridge between micro-mechanisms and macro-performance. SFRC durability exhibits a pronounced dual character—an optimal fiber content (0.5%–2.0%) exists beyond which excessive interfacial transition zones accelerate deterioration. At the member level, fibers enable the transition from brittle shear to ductile flexure in beams and produce synergistic gains with external confinement in columns. Emerging frontiers including recycled steel fibers, UHPFRC, fiber orientation control, multiscale constitutive models, and machine learning prediction are critically reviewed. Key research gaps in thin-walled shells, multi-field coupled durability, and life-cycle validation of recycled SFRC are identified.
Keywords
Steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC); mechanical properties; fiber–matrix interface bond; durability; structural member behavior; recycled steel fiber; constitutive modeling; machine learning prediction
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