Hybrid fiber-reinforced recycled aggregate concrete: a comprehensive review of material behavior, performance enhancement, and statistical optimization frameworks
摘要
Growing interest in sustainable construction materials has increased attention toward recycled aggregate concrete (RAC). However, its wider adoption remains constrained by reduced mechanical performance and durability issues associated with adhered mortar, elevated porosity, and weakened interfacial transition zones (ITZ). Hybrid fiber reinforcement has emerged as an effective strategy to address these limitations by combining the complementary functions of macro- and micro-scale fibers. This review synthesizes recent experimental and review studies on hybrid fiber-reinforced recycled aggregate concrete (HFRC–RAC), with emphasis on material behavior, mechanical response, durability performance, and statistical optimization approaches. The reviewed literature indicates that hybrid fiber systems typically enhance compressive strength by approximately 5–20%, tensile strength by 15–40%, and flexural strength by 20–60% compared to fiber-free RAC, while consistently outperforming single-fiber systems at comparable dosages. Improvements in post-cracking toughness and energy absorption are particularly notable at recycled aggregate replacement levels exceeding 40%. Despite these advances, significant research gaps persist in long-term durability, elevated-temperature behavior, structural-scale validation, and systematic mix-design optimization. To address these gaps, a methodological framework integrating statistical screening, variance analysis, response surface modeling (RSM), desirability-based optimization, and data-driven validation is proposed. The review positions HFRC–RAC as a promising sustainable material that requires further refinement before widespread engineering implementation.