The future of fibre reinforcement: 5 trends to watch

Fibre reinforcement of concrete and asphalt is by now a proven technology, but it is far from standing still. This article discusses five developments that will be decisive for the sector in the coming years.

1. New fibre types: basalt as a fourth main category

Alongside steel, aramid and polyacrylonitrile, basalt fibre is gaining ground as a fourth main category of reinforcing fibre. With a tensile strength of 3,000-4,000 MPa, a density of only around 2.7 g/cm³ and heat resistance up to 800°C, basalt fibre offers a combination of properties that is particularly interesting for applications where heat resistance and a natural, recyclable raw material matter.

2. Combination with biobased binders

Where fibre reinforcement improves the mechanical performance of concrete and asphalt, biobased development focuses on the binder itself: lignin in asphalt (with a potential emission reduction of 30-60% for the asphalt sector) and plant-based additives such as elephant grass in concrete. The expectation is that these two developments — fibre reinforcement and biobased binders — will increasingly be combined within a single mixture, bringing together two independent sustainability routes.

3. Automation of dosing

Today, many fibres are still added manually, for example via pre-packaged bags at the mixer's inspection opening. This works well, but it does slow down production speed compared with fully automated processes. Market development and the growing scale of fibre reinforced mixtures are making investment in automatic dosing systems increasingly attractive — which will further improve production speed and consistency.

4. A firmer normative basis

With the publication of fib Bulletin 105 (2022), an important step has been taken in the international standardisation of fibre reinforced concrete, with attention to design methods in both the serviceability and ultimate limit states. For asphalt, the continued development of the PCR Asfalt guidelines (with the 2026 version as the most recent step) is providing an increasingly uniform way to calculate and compare the environmental performance of fibre reinforced mixtures. These developments lower the threshold for structural engineers and clients to include fibre reinforcement in structural and tendered applications.

5. A growing role in the maintenance challenge

The Netherlands faces its largest ever maintenance challenge for bridges, tunnels, locks, roads and quay walls, while budgets and skilled workers are scarce. Fibre reinforcement fits well here thanks to the combination of extended service life, lower labour input and non-corrosive behaviour — precisely the properties needed to keep this challenge manageable. Fibre reinforcement is expected to play an increasingly large role in renovation and maintenance projects in the coming years, alongside its existing use in new construction.

What does this mean for the sector?

These five trends reinforce one another: new fibre types and biobased combinations widen the technical palette, automation lowers the threshold for large-scale application, a firmer normative basis increases the confidence of structural engineers and clients, and the growing maintenance challenge increases demand. Together, they point to a sector moving from a niche application towards a mainstream solution.

In conclusion

Fibre reinforcement of concrete and asphalt is far from fully developed. New fibre types, combinations with biobased binders, automation, a firmer normative basis and the growing maintenance challenge will be decisive in the coming years for how and where the technology is applied.