The use of polymeric fibers in refractory castables has been motivated due to the possibility of improving the drying performance and reducing the explosion risks of these materials. For shotcrete castables, fiber addition can also promote bridging and avoid drying-cracks. However, the benefits resulting by fiber-containing castables on the surface adhesion still need to be evaluated and quantified. This was the main purpose of this work which was based on the castables reometry's technique in order to analyze the influence of polypropylene fibers of different sizes (3 mm and 6 mm) and amounts (0.045% and 0.09% on weight) on the shotcrete performance of a pumpable high-alumina composition. The results showed that the fiber's benefits depend on the material initial characteristics.
castables; polymeric fibers; shotcrete; rheometer; refractories
