Evaluating the Eco-Mechanical Performances of Fiber-Reinforced Concrete

A comparison among different structural concretes is herein performed in order to select, or tailor, new eco-friendly and high performance cement-based composites. The ecological impact and the mechanical behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) ties and beams are both assessed by of means the so-called eco-mechanical index (EMI). The crack width of RC structures, the embodied energy and the carbon dioxide released by the production of concretes, are the main parameters of EMI. As a result, the best eco-mechanical performances can be easily achieved by using a normal strength cementitiuos concrete having high fracture toughness (i.e., by adding steel fibers to normal strength concrete). Moreover, in an eco-mechanical analysis, the work of fracture, either in tension or in bending, is sufficient to define the mechanical performances and durability of normal and high-strength of RC structures, without measuring crack width.