r hook

r-hook is a high-strength, cold-drawn steel macrofiber with hooked ends (mechanical anchorage). It is designed to provide three-dimensional structural reinforcement to concrete, serving as the primary replacement for steel mesh and traditional rebar in numerous applications.

It is the quintessential structural reinforcement solution for:

• High-performance industrial pavements and slabs: Supporting heavy and dynamic loads in logistics centers, factories, and storage areas.
• Precast concrete elements: Tunnel segments, pipes, vaults, and New Jersey barriers.
• Shotcrete: For structural stabilization of slopes and tunnel support.
• Foundations and slabs: Providing ductile and effective crack control.

The hooked-end mechanical anchorage is its most critical feature. This design ensures that each fiber is firmly anchored within the concrete matrix. When a crack appears and the fiber is subjected to tension, the hook prevents it from pulling out, allowing it to develop its full load-bearing capacity and ensuring the ductile behavior of the concrete even after cracking.

• Superior Structural Performance: It provides homogeneous, three-dimensional reinforcement, increasing the concrete's toughness and energy absorption capacity.
• Total Crack Control: It acts on micro-cracks at their inception, effectively controlling crack propagation from shrinkage and loads.
• Radical Productivity Increase: It completely eliminates the logistics, time, and labor associated with cutting, placing, and tying steel mesh, thus shortening project timelines.
• Maximum On-site Safety: It removes tripping and cutting hazards, creating a safer work environment.
• Guaranteed Positioning: Unlike steel mesh, which can be incorrectly positioned at the bottom of the slab, fibers are always correctly distributed throughout the entire volume.

Performance is measured by its ability to provide residual tensile strength after the concrete has cracked. This is quantified using the beam test according to the EN 14651 standard, which yields the fR1 and fR3 values. A high-performance r-hook fiber is characterized by:

• High Aspect Ratio (length/diameter ratio): A higher aspect ratio maximizes the anchorage and efficiency of each fiber.
• High Tensile Strength Steel: Fibers made from high-strength steel (>1,100 MPa / 160 ksi) can withstand greater loads before breaking.
  As tests show, r-hook fibers with optimized geometries (longer length, smaller diameter) deliver superior residual strength values.

Yes. The r-hook fiber is certified as a structural reinforcement according to the EN 14889-1 standard, and its use is recognized in major building codes like the Spanish Código Estructural. Through an engineering calculation based on its residual strength values (fRk), it can partially or fully replace traditional reinforcement in slabs, pavements, and other elements.

The dosage is never a standard value but rather the result of a specific structural calculation for each project. It depends on the loads, concrete type, and element requirements. Typical dosages for structural applications range from 20 to 40 kg/m³ (approx. 34-67 lb/yd³).

The r-hook family is designed to disperse quickly and homogeneously without forming clumps or "hedgehogs." When added at the correct dosages, r-hook reinforced concrete is perfectly pumpable and workable, maintaining good consistency for proper placement and finishing.