This paper provides a general overview of recent developments in the study of the flexural post-cracking behavior of steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC). The results of three-point-bending tests (3PBTs) performed at the University of Brescia during the last lustrum were collected in a broad database consisting of 81 series for a total amount of 528 beams. Several experimental parameters were investigated: strength of concrete matrix, fiber dosage, fiber aspect ratio, fiber filament tensile strength, as well as fiber orientation. The latter was deeply studied by means of image analysis of cut cross sections. The results, discussed in terms of post-cracking flexural residual strengths, highlight that all the parameters studied contribute to the post-cracking performances exhibited by SFRCs.

The present paper deals with an experimental study on the fatigue behavior under bending of plain and Steel Fiber Reinforced Concrete (SFRC). Notched beams were tested under three point bending test: both monotonic and fatigue tests on pre-cracked specimens (in which a fracture process zone was present) were performed. In order to quantify the influence of fiber reinforcement on the fatigue performance of SFRC, two volume fractions of fibers (0.5% and 1.0%) and three fatigue load levels were adopted. Test results are compared in terms of cyclic creep curves and Wöhler diagrams, crack opening rate, toughness and energy dissipation. Experimental results show that the fatigue deformations at failure match the monotonic stress-strain curves with a good agreement. Fibers seem to improve the fatigue life of concrete, whereas their effectiveness tends to decrease under high-cycle fatigue. In both cases, however, the addition of fibers ensures an increase of the energy dissipation at failure

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