Mechanical performance of mortars reinforced with steel fibers

Authors

  • Matías Castro Castillo , Unidad Académica de Ingeniería, Industria y Construcción, Universidad Católica de Cuenca. Cuenca, Ecuador, 010101.
  • Jaime Nieto-Cárdenas Academic Unit of Engineering, Industry, and Construction, Universidad Católica de Cuenca. Cuenca, Ecuador, 010101. , Unidad Académica de Ingeniería, Industria y Construcción, Universidad Católica de Cuenca. Cuenca, Ecuador, 010101. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6343-9622 (unauthenticated)
  • Paúl Illescas-Cárdenas Academic Unit of Engineering, Industry, and Construction, Universidad Católica de Cuenca. Cuenca, Ecuador, 010101. , Unidad Académica de Ingeniería, Industria y Construcción, Universidad Católica de Cuenca. Cuenca, Ecuador, 010101. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2615-6903 (unauthenticated)
  • Pilar Naspud Uruchima Academic Unit of Engineering, Industry, and Construction, Universidad Católica de Cuenca. Cuenca, Ecuador, 010101. , Unidad Académica de Ingeniería, Industria y Construcción, Universidad Católica de Cuenca. Cuenca, Ecuador, 010101. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4082-3373 (unauthenticated)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53591/easi.v4i1.2410

Keywords:

Reinforced mortar, steel fiber, strength-deformation curve, compression test, informal housing

Abstract

This article focuses on the evaluation of the resistance of mortars to indirect tension and compression, simple and reinforced, with different percentages of steel fiber. The aim is to find resistant and economical solutions to reinforce informal housing, through the use of plaster that improves the general characteristics of a masonry. Masonry constructed in an informal or artisanal manner has a high degree of structural vulnerability. First, the indirect tensile strength and displacements supported by simple and reinforced mortars are compared, where it is observed that reinforced mortars offer greater strength and deformation capacity as a function of the percentage of fiber. Then, the compressive strength is compared, where the reinforced mortars also show adequate results. In terms of economics, the reinforced mortar presents disadvantages due to the cost of the fibers; in the percentages studied in this article (10, 15, 20 and 25%), the use of reinforced mortars for informal housing is not so attractive; it is recommended to develop similar investigations with different percentages of fiber.

Author Biographies

  • Matías Castro Castillo, , Unidad Académica de Ingeniería, Industria y Construcción, Universidad Católica de Cuenca. Cuenca, Ecuador, 010101.

    Civil Engineer (2024). Universidad Católica de Cuenca, Ecuador. Areas of expertise: Mortars.

  • Jaime Nieto-Cárdenas, Academic Unit of Engineering, Industry, and Construction, Universidad Católica de Cuenca. Cuenca, Ecuador, 010101., Unidad Académica de Ingeniería, Industria y Construcción, Universidad Católica de Cuenca. Cuenca, Ecuador, 010101.

    Civil Engineer (2008). Universidad de Cuenca, Ecuador. M.Sc. in Construction (2014), Universidad de Cuenca, Ecuador. Diploma in Structures (2021), Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Colombia. Full professor in the Academic Unit of Engineering, Industry, and Construction, Universidad Católica de Cuenca. Areas of expertise: Construction, steel structures, concrete structures, seismic resistance, wood, thin sheet metal, masonry, strength of materials, experimentation.

  • Paúl Illescas-Cárdenas, Academic Unit of Engineering, Industry, and Construction, Universidad Católica de Cuenca. Cuenca, Ecuador, 010101., Unidad Académica de Ingeniería, Industria y Construcción, Universidad Católica de Cuenca. Cuenca, Ecuador, 010101.

    Civil Engineer (2011). Universidad Católica de Cuenca, Ecuador. M.Sc. in Construction (2022), Universidad Católica de Cuenca, Ecuador. M.Sc. in Traffic, Transportation, and Road Safety (2016) Universidad del Azuay, Ecuador. Full professor in the Academic Unit of Engineering, Industry, and Construction, Universidad Católica de Cuenca. Areas of expertise: Roads, Traffic, Strength of Materials, Statics.

  • Pilar Naspud Uruchima, Academic Unit of Engineering, Industry, and Construction, Universidad Católica de Cuenca. Cuenca, Ecuador, 010101., Unidad Académica de Ingeniería, Industria y Construcción, Universidad Católica de Cuenca. Cuenca, Ecuador, 010101.

    Civil Engineer (2016). Universidad Católica de Cuenca, Ecuador. Master's Degree in Engineering - Structures (2021), Universidad Católica de Cuenca, Colombia. Lecturer at the Academic Unit of Engineering, Industry, and Construction, Universidad Católica de Cuenca. Areas of expertise: Steel structures, Concrete structures, Earthquake resistance.

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Published

2025-07-21

How to Cite

Mechanical performance of mortars reinforced with steel fibers. (2025). EASI: Engineering and Applied Sciences in Industry, 4(1), 42-51. https://doi.org/10.53591/easi.v4i1.2410