Macrosynthetic fibers as replacement of conventional steel reinforcement for concrete of partition walls

Conventional reinforced concrete for building partition walls has proven numerous advantages (in terms for instance of acoustic performance and robustness) with respect to other existing alternatives. However, its use leads to high material consumption and environmental footprint together with time-consuming processes for placing steel reinforcement. To reduce time-consuming processes and carbon footprint, the replacement of ordinary steel reinforcement by structural macrofibers is envisioned as a suitable solution due to: (1) the acceptance of fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) for structural applications in various guidelines (as Annex L of FprEN 1992-1-1:2023, draft for future Eurocode 2) and (2) the fact that the amounts of fibers necessary to reach the required mechanical performance of the FRC for crack control are expected to be economically competitive. Additionally, within the spectra of types of macrofibers capable of efficiently reinforce concrete, macrosynthetic fibers (MSFs) were considered in this research due to their benefits in terms of durability performance and reduced environmental impact (potential to use cements with lower clinker content and reduced thickness of elements). Aiming at confirming both the constructability, casting procedure and structural performance of macrosynthetic fiber reinforced concrete (MSFRC) partition walls, these walls were constructed in a real building in Switzerland. In this article, the design process is presented as well as the associated MSFRC material and structural experimental programmes, conducted both in laboratory and on-site. In addition, several FEM-modeling considerations as well as quality control and construction aspects observed during the implementation process are raised. Finally, for reference purposes, a first approach to the economic and environmental impact (CO2eq-based) of such MSFRC walls is presented.