SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT OF STEEL FIBER REINFORCED CONCRETE FOR MODERN INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC) has emerged as a promising sustainable material for modern infrastructure development, offering enhanced mechanical performance, improved crack control, and extended service life compared to conventional concrete. This review synthesizes current peer-reviewed literature on SFRC sustainability, environmental impacts, mechanical properties, and durability characteristics. A comprehensive life cycle assessment framework is applied to evaluate embodied carbon, energy demand, and environmental toxicity across SFRC production and service phases. Results demonstrate that while SFRC exhibits elevated cradle-to-gate emissions due to fiber production and higher material dosages, its superior durability and extended service life substantially reduce lifecycle environmental impacts at the structural level. Optimal fiber dosages (0.8–1.0% by volume for steel fibers) balance mechanical performance gains with environmental efficiency. Key sustainability benefits emerge from using recycled tire steel fibers, low-carbon supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), and optimized mix designs. However, significant research gaps persist regarding standardized LCA methodologies, long-term durability validation, and circular-economy strategies. This review underscores that performance-based life-cycle evaluation is essential for accurately assessing SFRC's sustainability potential in resilient, low-carbon infrastructure systems.