Slab on Grade

 

Though used at high dosage, FORTA-FERRO® provided an unblemished skating surface on this large joint-free topping slab.

Benefits of Using Synthetic Fiber in Flatwork Concrete

  • Synthetic fibers reduce plastic shrinkage cracking.
  • Synthetic fibers increase impact resistance.
  • Synthetic fibers provide three-dimensional reinforcement.
  • Synthetic fibers reduce bleed water.
  • Synthetic fibers increase abrasion resistance.
  • Synthetic fibers arrive at the job site already in place.
  • Synthetic fibers do not present any safety issues during placement.
  • Synthetic fibers do not corrode
  • Possible joint expansion.

History of Synthetic Fiber Reinforcement in Slab on Grade Concrete

FORTA Corporation introduced synthetic fiber reinforcement to the U.S. concrete market in 1978. The first of its kind in the industry, FORTA offered a variety of fiber characteristics - shape, length, chemistry, and dosage - to perform at varying levels of crack control in many concrete applications. Generally, short monofilament (angel-hair) fibers have been used at a dosage of 1.0 lb. per cubic yard to reduce plastic shrinkage cracking prior to the concrete's initial set. Heavier fibrillated (net-shaped) fibers have been used at a higher dosage of 1.5 lbs./cubic yard to reduce plastic and hardened concrete shrinkage cracking and add durability as a viable alternative to conventional temperature steel such as wire mesh. These fiber types have enjoyed scores of successful flatwork project applications for over 30 years.

 

Next-Generation Fiber Today

FORTA has continued to strive for a higher level of performance by maximizing each of the critical fiber characteristics that contribute to that performance. After years of research and development, FORTA introduced this next-generation fiber - FORTA-FERRO® - that is capable of a much higher replacement level of steel reinforcement.

Proud member of American Society for Testing and Materials
Proud member of American Concrete Institute
Proud member of American Society of Concrete Contractors

Concrete in Tunneling and Mining

 

Stanford LCLS Tunnel - Stanford University, Menlo Park, CA

FORTA non-corrosive fibers have been used in a wide variety of air-placed concrete projects as a valuable performance-rated reinforcement that is extremely easy to add, mix, and shoot. In both above-ground artificial rock and waterscapes, and underground tunnel linings, the noncorrosive characteristic of FORTA-FERRO is extremely attractive. FORTA-FERRO has also been used successfully in thousands of cubic yards of wet-mix shotcrete that were produced from pre-blended dry-bagged materials, primarily in underground tunnel projects.

High dosages of polypropylene fibers have actually been utilized in shotcrete projects for many years, including the tunnel wall at the Oldman River Dam in southern Alberta, Canada. In this case, 10.1 lbs. of the FORTA polypropylene fiber served as a user-friendly and performance-surpassing alternative to the 118 lbs. of steel fiber per cubic yard that had been used to start the project. The synthetic fibers also eliminated any risk of injury from rebounding fibers, and were easy to add, mix, and shoot, without build-up in the mixer trucks or shotcrete lines.

Underground tunnel projects have become the largest volume users of the FORTA-FERRO structural fiber in shotcrete applications for municipalities, wineries, railroads, and utility companies. FORTA-FERRO's non-absorptive and non-corrosive characteristics are very valuable in these underground project conditions both here in the United States and abroad.

Proud member of American Shotcrete Association

 

Septic Tanks

 

Steel-Free Septic Tanks

Three-dimensional synthetic fiber reinforcement for concrete provides an alternative handling/temperature reinforcement to labor-intensive wire mesh in precast applications. Our second-generation synthetic fiber, FORTA-FERRO, offers improved benefits that affect the actual structural properties of the concrete itself. This fiber truly lives up to its name, which means "Strong As Steel."

FORTA-FERRO has played an important role in the recent changes and development of testing and performance of precast septic tanks, allowing the tank-producing industry to realize a valuable goal in producing durable and cost-effective steel-free products.

In fact, FORTA-FERRO is approved by most states and sanitation districts for use in septic tanks. Please call your FORTA representative for information related to local guidelines in your service area, or for engineering services available.

Proud Member of NPCA – National Precast Concrete Association

Proud Member of National Precast Concrete Associations - NPCA

Many more project profiles can be seen here: Forta Fiber Projects