Portland cement concrete is fragile in tension and it has numerous negative impacts on the environment. To deal with these issues, both fiber reinforcement and recycled materials can be utilized to manufacture sustainable and ductile concrete. In this study, the synergistic effects of high-performance mineral admixture silica fume and glass fiber reinforcement were investigated on the hardened properties of RC. For this purpose, two concrete mix families, namely, NC and RC were prepared. To understand the benefits of synergistic utilization of glass fiber and silica fume, in both NC and RC, 0.5% glass fiber was incorporated with three different levels of silica fume. i.e., 0%, 5%, and 10%. Both strength and permeability-related durability properties were investigated. Results revealed that combined incorporation of 0.5% fiber and 10% silica fume can help in the production of RC having better mechanical and durability performance compared to reference “NC”. Simultaneous incorporation of silica fume and glass fiber produces a combined effect greater than their individual effects on both mechanical and permeability properties of concrete. Silica fume plays a very dominant and positive role in the development of CS, WA, and CIPR of RC, whereas glass fiber plays a vital role in upgrading STS and FS of RC and whereas, with the addition of 0.5% glass fiber, RC can yield 8–9 times higher flexural toughness than that of the plain NC.

Heat-induced spalling in concrete is a problem that has been the subject of intense debate. The research community has, despite all the effort invested in this problem, few certain and definitive answers regarding the causes of and the way in which spalling happens. A major reason for this difficulty is the lack of a unified method for testing, which makes comparing data from various studies against each other a difficult task. Many studies have been performed that show the positive effects of using synthetic micro-fibres, such as polypropylene (PP). The mechanism with which PP fibres improve heat-induced spalling resistance in concrete, however, remains a subject of debate. This paper, therefore, looks at the work that has been performed in the field of spalling (particularly spalling of self-compacting concrete (SCC)). Influencing factors are identified and their links to each other (as reported) are discussed. A particular emphasis is put on discussing the role of PP fibres and how they improve the behaviour of high-performance concrete (HPC) at elevated temperatures. A brief summary of the reviewed papers are provided for each of the influencing factors to help the reader navigate with ease through the references. An introduction to heat-induced spalling and the common causes (as reported in the literature) is also included to highlight the wide range of theories trying to explain the spalling phenomenon.

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