Purpose. Establishment of patterns of influence of the main factors on the physicomechanical characteristics of fiber concrete, which is advisable to use for the manufacture of pump housings operating in adverse conditions.Methodology. The work uses theoretical analysis of fiber concrete application in various industries, analysis of factors affecting fiber concrete strength; laboratory experiments are conducted to confirm theoretical results and identify regularities allowing rec ommending rational parameters of production of pump casings from fiber concrete.findings. The work attempts to offer technological solutions for the use of fiber concrete in a new field -mechanical engineer ing -in the manufacture of pump housings operating in the mining and metallurgical industry in unfavorable conditions such as pumping of aggressive liquids, highly abrasive pulp, high ambient temperature, dust, and others. The obtained results allow devel oping centrifugal pump housing casting technology without additional mechanical treatment and with high physical and me chanical characteristics as well as recommending rational composition of the fiber concrete mixture, meeting requirements to centrifugal pump housings according to strength conditions, manufacturability and economy.originality. The regularities of the effect on the strength of fiber concrete of the optimal content of steel fiber in the composi tion of the mixture as well as rational modes of mixing components are established experimentally. They are rotational speed of a mixer working part and mixing time of the components. The obtained regularities confirm theoretical studies and provide obtain ing of the fiber concrete mixture with uniform distribution of all components in its volume as well as isotropic characteristics of solidified fiber concrete.Practical value. The obtained results, presented in graphs and calculation formulas, make it possible to reasonably design com position of the fiber concrete mixture and to develop the technology of making centrifugal pump housings from it by a casting method without additional mechanical treatment. At the same time fiber concrete has density of 2200-2300 kg/m 3 versus 7500-7800 kg/m 3 of metal bodies, compression strength of 230-240 MPa, bending strength of 80-100 MPa. All these allow reducing thickness of a pump housing wall by 15-20 %.

The paper describes the results of investigations on application of composite materials – polymer concrete and fibre concrete for manufacture gear cases of mechanisms used in mining and metallurgical industry centrifugal pump casings. The methods of establishing efficient compositions of polymer concrete and fibre concrete, based on a filler with gapped grading in which the pinholes in coarse fractions are filled with smaller fractions have been developed. After hardening, such mixtures have the strength 1.5...2 times higher than the items made of metal. The efficient additive of steel fibre to fibre concrete has been identified which improves the strength characteristics. The regularities of the impact on the strength and structure of polymer concrete and fibre concrete of the rotation frequency of the working element of the mixer and time of mixing the mixture components are identified. TS-250 gear and centrifugal pump casings are made by casting method and are tested on a test bed. The results obtained make it possible for us to recommend the developed compositions of polymer concrete and fibre concrete for application in engineering industry to manufacture gear and centrifugal pump casings.