Trade articles & blog.
Knowledge from practice: fibre reinforcement, sustainability and regulations — clearly explained.
Explore by theme.
Our comprehensive knowledge guides bring together all articles on one subject on a single page.
Fibre reinforced concrete
All about fibre reinforced concrete: how fibre reinforcement works, fibre types and dosage, prices per m3, floors and foundations, and repairing damage.
19 articlesFibre reinforced asphalt
All about fibre reinforced asphalt: aramid fibres, porous asphalt, rutting and maintenance, the PMB comparison, costs per m2 and the A73 field evidence.
18 articlesSustainability, standards and innovation
Sustainable building with fibre reinforcement: MKI and DuboCalc, MPG, EMVI criteria and the CO₂ Performance Ladder, plus EN 14889 and fib Bulletin 105.
12 articlesApplications and audiences
Fibre reinforcement applications by audience: screeds, power-floated concrete floors, retaining walls, car parks, agriculture and road management.
17 articlesTypes of concrete fibres: steel, synthetic, glass and basalt compared
Steel, synthetic, glass or basalt — each fibre type has its own profile in tensile strength, dosage, corrosion and price. This overview compares all four and helps you choose.
Read articleHow does fibre reinforcement work in concrete?
Fibres take over the tensile force the moment concrete cracks. Failure behaviour shifts from brittle to ductile — this is the working principle of fibre reinforced concrete.
Read articleFibre concrete vs reinforcement mesh: the difference in time and cost
Fibre concrete or reinforcement mesh? We set material and labour costs per m² side by side, with a worked man-hours example for a 500 m² floor and a project case.
Read articleMonolithic concrete floor for industrial and warehouse floors
Forklift traffic, racking legs and continuous transport place high demands on a monolithic industrial floor. Floor thickness, fibre dosage, joints and price per m² at a glance.
Read articleFoundation reinforcement: when is fibre concrete suitable?
From garden rooms to yard foundations: fibre reinforced concrete increasingly replaces the reinforcement mesh and cages in the foundation. Where that works, how to pour, and where the limit lies.
Read articleFibre reinforced concrete vs traditional reinforcement: which do you choose when?
Fibre reinforcement or bars and mesh? Both resist the tensile forces concrete itself lacks. This decision guide sets out differences, costs and applications per project type.
Read articleSynthetic fibre concrete: when is it the right choice?
Synthetic fibre reinforcement comes in two flavours: micro fibres against plastic shrinkage (0.6–1.0 kg/m³) and structural macro fibres (2–6 kg/m³). Here is how you choose the right type for floor, screed or paving.
Read articleCarbonation and corrosion of reinforcing steel: how fibres prevent it
Carbonation and chloride ingress turn protective concrete into a corrosive environment for reinforcing steel. How the mechanism works — and how fibres rule it out.
Read articleConcrete fibre dosage: practical guidelines per fibre type
Too few fibres and the effect fails to materialise, too many and workability suffers. Dosing guidelines per fibre type and application, plus the calculation steps from residual strength requirement to kilos per m³.
Read articlePouring fibre reinforced concrete: the complete guide
Pouring fibre reinforced concrete, from defining the goal to curing: dosage, ordering from the concrete plant, pouring with a pump, drying times and pouring in frost.
Read articleConcrete price per m³ in 2026: with and without fibres
What does a cubic metre of concrete cost in 2026 — and what is added if you include fibre reinforcement? All guide prices per strength class, surcharges per fibre type and a worked example at a glance.
Read articleConcrete spalling: causes, signs and repair — the lesson of the A28
Concrete spalling is caused by corrosion of reinforcing steel and mainly affects structures built between 1960 and 1985. How to recognise it, what repair costs and how non-corrosive fibre reinforcement rules the problem out at source.
Read articleFibre reinforced concrete: frequently asked questions
The most frequently asked questions about fibre reinforced concrete — from fibre type, dosage and cost per m³ to cracking, power floating and standards. Each answer links through to the in-depth article.
Read articleWhat is fibre reinforced asphalt and how does it work?
Fibre reinforced asphalt contains strong fibres that slow cracking, ravelling and rutting — a recyclable alternative to PMB and reinforcement grids, proven on the A73 and N337.
Read articleAramid fibres vs. PMB: costs, environmental impact and lifespan
PMB or aramid fibres in penetration-grade bitumen? Based on FIBRA data from the A73, we compare production process, environmental impact, recycling and costs.
Read articlePCR Asphalt 2026: what the new environmental performance standard means
The PCR Asphalt 2026 calculates the environmental performance of asphalt mixes uniformly from now on. That makes the sustainability advantage of fibres demonstrable in black and white.
Read articleWhat is an aramid fibre? Properties, types and use in asphalt
Aramid fibres are among the strongest synthetic fibres in existence. What an aramid fibre is, which types exist, what they cost and how they reinforce asphalt.
Read articleAsphalt temperature: production, laying and the fibre advantage
From 160-185°C in the mixer to the minimum rolling temperature on the road: all the relevant asphalt temperatures in one overview — and why fibre reinforced asphalt can run 15-20°C cooler.
Read articleNoise-reducing asphalt and fibre reinforcement: what do the measurements say?
Does noise-reducing asphalt stay as quiet when you reinforce it with fibres? CPX measurements on the A73 show what fibre reinforcement does to the acoustic performance of porous asphalt.
Read articleFibre-reinforced asphalt for heavy-duty and temporary construction roads
Steel road plates, crushed aggregate or asphalt? How to build a temporary construction road that carries heavy site traffic — and can be fully milled and reused once the project ends.
Read articleWhat does asphalt cost per m2? 2026 prices (and the extra cost of fibre reinforcement)
What does asphalt cost per m² in 2026? Guide prices per application and asphalt type (DAB, SMA, porous asphalt), the price per tonne — and why fibre reinforcement often works out cost neutral.
Read articleTendering fibre-reinforced asphalt: what to watch for?
Practical checklist for municipalities, provinces and water boards wanting to specify fibre-reinforced asphalt: sample specification text, MEAT criterion, market consultation and OPWA approval.
Read articleHow hot does a road surface get? Heat, soft asphalt and the role of fibres
At 30 °C in the air, a black road surface heats up to 50–60 °C. What happens to asphalt then — softening, rutting, slipperiness, heave — and how reflective mixes and fibre reinforcement each solve their part of the problem.
Read articleA73 case study: results of the FIBRA research
On the A73 near Roermond, BAM and Rijkswaterstaat built a trial section with four porous asphalt mixtures within the FIBRA project, on top of a demonstration garden with sustainable base layers. The full set-up, measurement results and conclusions.
Read articleCircular construction with fibre reinforced concrete and asphalt (and the RWS 2030 targets)
Rijkswaterstaat aims to work climate-neutrally and circularly by 2030, using 50% fewer primary raw materials. How fibre reinforcement of concrete and asphalt contributes to both tracks at once.
Read articleCO₂ savings with fibre reinforcement: a worked example
Sustainability claims only convince with figures. We calculate the CO₂ saving of fibre reinforcement in full: emission factors per kilo, the comparison per m³ of concrete and the scale-up to a 1,000 m² floor.
Read articleSustainable asphalt: emission-free paving with fibres
Zero-emission construction is not just about electric plant; the asphalt mix matters at least as much. What makes asphalt sustainable — and how fibre reinforcement and emission-free paving reinforce each other.
Read articleMPG calculation: lowering a building's environmental performance with fibre reinforcement
The MPG calculation determines whether your new-build project receives a permit. How the calculation works, which limit values apply in 2026 and how fibre reinforcement structurally lowers the score.
Read articlefib Bulletin 105: the international standard for fibre reinforced concrete
For anyone working seriously with fibre reinforced concrete, fib Bulletin 105 is indispensable. It compiles the up-to-date design knowledge that Model Code 2020 left open — and bridges to Eurocode 2 and CUR Recommendation 111.
Read articleThe FIBRA project: European research into fibre-reinforced asphalt
Behind the Dutch trial sections with fibre-reinforced asphalt lies a European CEDR research project with seven partners from six countries. What the FIBRA project involved, who took part and which guidelines it delivered.
Read articleThe future of fibre reinforcement: 5 trends to watch
Fibre reinforcement of concrete and asphalt is proven technology, but it is not standing still. Five developments — from basalt fibre to automatic dosing — set the direction the sector is heading.
Read articleSustainability certification of fibre materials: what to request
Anyone citing fibre reinforcement in a tender or sustainability report will encounter certification. A request checklist per document type: what it is, who issues it and when it is mandatory.
Read articleCO₂ Performance Ladder: levels, certification and substantiation with fibres
The CO₂ Performance Ladder in practice: what the five levels involve, how certification via SKAO works, and how to substantiate scope 3 reduction with fibre reinforcement in a traceable way.
Read articleThe biggest maintenance challenge ever: the role of fibre reinforcement
Rijkswaterstaat calls it the biggest maintenance challenge ever. Fibre reinforcement extends road service life by 50% or more — and with that, changes every long-term maintenance plan.
Read articleRoad management on a tight budget: fibre reinforcement for municipalities
Municipalities manage the largest share of the road network on limited budgets. Fibre reinforcement extends the service life of roads, cycle paths and concrete works — within existing maintenance contracts.
Read articleFibres at the concrete plant: ordering and production integration
How do you order fibre-reinforced ready-mix concrete from the batching plant — and how does a plant integrate fibres into its own production? From order specification and pumping to dosing equipment and quality control.
Read articleFibre reinforcement for contractors: site benefits and your EMVI plan
Fibre reinforcement saves contractors an entire reinforcement work stage and delivers hard figures for the EMVI quality plan: lower ECI, less CO2 and an asphalt mix produced at lower temperature.
Read articleTendering sustainable roads: how provinces do it with fibres
Provinces steer sustainability through the tender: EMVI criteria such as an ECI ceiling and a service-life requirement make fibre reinforcement assessable — and performance measurement holds the promise after award.
Read articleFibre-reinforced concrete for agriculture: barn floors, silage clamps and yard paving
Slurry acid, ammonia, hoof loading and the axle loads of heavy farm traffic: agricultural concrete takes more punishment than many an industrial floor. Thickness and dosage indications per application.
Read articleBuying concrete fibres: choosing the right fibre reinforcement supplier
Buying concrete fibres is not a matter of price alone: fibre type, dosage advice, certificates and field data differ per supplier. This checklist with seven criteria helps you choose.
Read articleWhite topping: fibre concrete over existing asphalt
A thin fibre-reinforced concrete layer over existing asphalt extends the service life by decades. When white topping pays off, which layer thicknesses apply and what it costs.
Read articleCar parks, parking decks and garage floors: fibre reinforcement by situation
A parking deck on a building makes different demands than a ground-level car park or a garage full of de-icing salt. The right fibre choice per situation, with dosages and indicative prices.
Read articleSand cement screed: thickness, drying time, cost and preventing cracking with shrinkage fibre
Everything about the sand cement screed: which thickness per type, how long it needs to dry, what laying it costs and how shrinkage fibre limits cracking.
Read articleConcrete patio without reinforcement mesh: synthetic fibres for outdoor patio slabs
A concrete patio traditionally gets a steel reinforcement mesh, but structural synthetic fibres replace that mesh completely in most cases. When that is possible, how you choose finish and colour, and where the limit lies with driveways and raised patios.
Read articleFibre reinforcement in greenhouse construction: pouring floors on sand
Greenhouse floors and main paths are monolithically poured concrete floors on sand, under permanent moisture and chemical loading. Corrosion-free fibre reinforcement replaces the mesh — without a laying stage.
Read articleFibre reinforcement in precast concrete elements
In a precast factory every minute and kilo counts. Fibre reinforcement largely replaces reinforcement mesh, speeds up production per element and lowers the ECI by up to 93%.
Read articleUnderfloor heating and the screed: thickness, reinforcement and fibres
How thick does the screed on underfloor heating need to be, and do you choose reinforcement mesh or fibres? Guide thicknesses, the 20 mm cover rule and the heat-up protocol at a glance.
Read articleThe OPWA list: BRL 9320 and NL BSB for asphalt additives
Asphalt falls under the Dutch Soil Quality Decree; an additive must be environmentally approved. The OPWA list governs that — AsphaltX® is on it, with a maximum of 0.1% and reassessment until 2031.
Read articleHelp validate the asphalt of the future
Fibre-reinforced asphalt is proving itself in practice; now it is objective data's turn. Dutch Fiber Trading is looking for validation sections with road authorities and contractors — this is what such a section involves and what you get in return.
Read articleSteel fibres or synthetic macro fibres? How to choose the right reinforcement
Both replace traditional tied rebar — but when do you choose steel and when synthetic? A comparison on dosage, residual strength, corrosion, CO₂ and cost.
Read article500 grams per tonne: how AsphaltX® strengthens asphalt with Twaron®
Heavier traffic and varying bitumen quality wear road surfaces out faster. With around 500 grams of Twaron® aramid fibres per tonne, AsphaltX® extends service life — without changing the recipe or equipment.
Read articleMKI and DuboCalc: calculating and lowering the environmental cost indicator
More and more civil engineering tenders are awarded on MKI. What the environmental cost indicator actually is, how DuboCalc calculates the notional discount and how to lower your score.
Read articleWhat do EN 14889 and CE marking mean for fibre concrete?
Fibre classes, conformity systems and CE marking: a clear explanation of EN 14889 and the Dutch assessment framework for structural fibre reinforcement — including a step-by-step verification checklist.
Read articlePreventing shrinkage cracks in concrete: micro fibres in practice
The first hours after pouring are critical. Why shrinkage cracks form in concrete, and how 0.6–1.0 kg/m³ of micro fibres prevents them.
Read articleSteel fibre concrete: applications, dosage and price per m³
Steel fibre concrete replaces meshes and cages with steel fibres in the mix. What it costs per m³, which dosage you need and where it does and does not fit.
Read articleReinforcement mesh: sizes, weights, prices and the fibre alternative
Which reinforcement mesh suits your floor or foundation? The standard sheet sizes, wire gauges, mesh openings and weights at a glance — and when fibre reinforcement makes the mesh redundant.
Read articleConcrete repair: fixing cracks and damage in a concrete floor
Not every crack in a concrete floor calls for the same approach. How to recognise the crack type, which repair method belongs to it, what repair costs indicatively — and how fibres prevent the next damage.
Read articleHow thick should a concrete floor be? Thicknesses per application (on sand, garage, shed)
From 10 cm for a shed floor to 25 cm for a heavily loaded industrial floor: the guide values per application, plus casting on sand, frost edges and going thinner with fibre reinforcement.
Read articleAsphalt maintenance: measures, costs and extending service life
From surface dressing to milling and a new surface course: all asphalt maintenance measures with indicative costs per m² — and how fibre reinforcement stretches the maintenance cycle by years.
Read articleWhat is rutting? Causes, dangers and solutions
Rutting — permanent grooves in the wheel tracks — is the core problem of heavily loaded asphalt. The four causes, where it appears first, and what can be done about it.
Read articleWhat is ZOAB? Dutch porous asphalt explained
ZOAB is porous asphalt with over 20% air voids: it drains rainwater away and dampens tyre noise. How it works, where it is vulnerable and what fibres do about it.
Read articleEMVI tendering: meaning, criteria and how to score on sustainability
EMVI decides who wins public works in the Netherlands: not the lowest price, but the best price-quality ratio. This is how the notional discount works — and how you score on the sustainability criteria.
Read articleConcrete retaining walls: types, dimensions, prices and fibre reinforced precast
From a 30 cm garden retaining wall to a 3 metre silage clamp wall: these are the types of concrete retaining walls, their dimensions, weights and prices — and why fibre reinforced precast is slimmer and corrosion-free.
Read articlePower-floated concrete floor: price, drawbacks, finish and the role of fibre reinforcement
What power floating actually is, when the finisher starts after the pour, what a power-floated concrete floor costs per m² and why fibre reinforcement and power floating go so well together.
Read articleFloating screed: build-up, thickness, insulation and reinforcement
The floating screed layer by layer: build-up with edge strips and insulation, minimum thickness of 65–70 mm, insulation choice and why fibre reinforcement is standard here.
Read articleReplacing a timber bridge deck: composite, plastic or fibre reinforced concrete?
A timber bridge deck needs replacing every 15 to 25 years. Compare the three alternatives — composite, recycled plastic and precast fibre reinforced concrete — on service life, maintenance, weight, price and circularity.
Read articleNew trade articles are published approximately twice a month.