Why use basalt fibre in concrete?
Basalt fibre is made from volcanic basalt rock. Chopped strands are mixed into concrete to provide reinforcement throughout the material. Fibres bridge small cracks and help restrain their growth, making basalt relevant to concrete floors, precast components and pavements.
Crack control within the mix
Xue and colleagues tested basalt fibres in self-compacting concrete and reported improvements in tensile and flexural strength at selected fibre lengths and contents, alongside reduced cracking. Fibre length and dosage affected the results. Their study supports the crack-control role of basalt fibres. Xue et al. (2023): Basalt fibre concrete strength and crack resistance.
Non-metallic reinforcement
Basalt fibres do not rust like steel fibres. For buyers comparing concrete reinforcement materials, this is a useful distinction alongside fibre geometry, coating and the performance of the mix. BasaltechSA supplies coated chopped strands for use within the mix.
Basalt fibre, steel fibres and welded mesh
If you are looking at steel fibres, welded reinforcing mesh or concrete reinforcement alternatives, basalt is another material to consider. The practical differences start with the form of the reinforcement and how it is incorporated.
| Material | Form | Placement |
|---|---|---|
| Chopped basalt fibre | Short, non-metallic strands | Dispersed through the concrete mix |
| Steel fibres | Short steel elements | Dispersed through the concrete mix |
| Welded steel mesh | A welded wire grid | Placed at the specified position in the concrete |
| Reinforcing bars | Steel bars | Placed to the reinforcement layout |
Chopped fibre is incorporated during mixing, so the fibre itself has no sheet laps or mesh-fixing operation. Where a design includes both fibre and steel, the specified steel remains part of the installation. Use the product form and dosage in your project specification when comparing alternatives.
BasaltechSA chopped basalt fibre
Our chopped fibre has an X-SBR (styrene-butadiene) coating and a specified length of 24 ± 1 mm. The figures below come from the current BasaltechSA product data.
| Property | Specification | Reported test result |
|---|---|---|
| Fibre length | 24 ± 1 mm | 23.8 mm |
| Fibre diameter | 16 ± 1 µm | 16.6 µm |
| Breaking strength | ≥1,000 MPa | 1,420 MPa |
View the full fibre specification and dosage table or download the product data (PDF).
Concrete floors, precast and pavements
BasaltechSA’s product data lists residential and industrial concrete floors, warehouse slabs, precast elements and concrete pavements. Chopped fibre is also supplied for mortar and asphalt mixes.
Concrete quantities use a dosage in kg/m³. Asphalt quantities use kg per tonne of mix. The product page includes the application guidelines, and our quantity estimator calculates the fibre mass from your specified dosage.
Explore industrial floors, precast concrete and roads and pavements. For prices and availability in South Africa, enquire about chopped basalt fibre.
Common questions
What is basalt fibre reinforced concrete?
It is concrete containing fibres made from basalt rock. The chopped fibres are dispersed through the mix and bridge small cracks. BasaltechSA supplies X-SBR coated chopped basalt fibre with a specified length of 24 ± 1 mm.
Why consider basalt fibre alongside steel reinforcement options?
Basalt offers non-metallic, distributed reinforcement for concrete mixes. Its main points of interest are crack control and fibres that do not rust like steel. Steel bars and welded mesh provide reinforcement in a defined layout; any substitution follows the project specification.
Where is chopped basalt fibre used?
Our product data lists concrete floors, warehouse slabs, precast elements, concrete pavements and asphalt mixes. Concrete dosage is expressed in kg/m³; asphalt dosage is expressed in kg per tonne.
Where can I buy basalt fibre in South Africa?
BasaltechSA supplies chopped basalt fibre for South African projects. Send Johan or Ronnie your required quantity, delivery location and application for pricing and availability.
Sources
Product figures are from BasaltechSA’s current published data. The research describes the basalt materials tested by its authors; the results are not test certificates for BasaltechSA products.
- BasaltechSA: Chopped basalt fibre product data (PDF)
Current supplier specifications, reported test results and application dosage guidelines.
- Xue et al. (2023): Basalt fibre concrete strength and crack resistance
Experimental research on basalt fibre in self-compacting concrete, including fibre length, dosage and cracking.
- ACI: Fibre types used in concrete
General information about steel and non-metallic concrete fibres and their incorporation in a mix.