| HS Code | 707854 |
| Productname | SikaFiber PPM-12 |
| Manufacturer | Sika |
| Fibertype | Monofilament |
| Material | Polypropylene |
| Length | 12 mm |
| Diameter | 0.032 mm |
| Application | Concrete and mortars |
| Primaryfunction | Plastic shrinkage crack control |
| Color | Natural |
| Density | 0.91 g/cm³ |
| Tensilestrength | >400 MPa |
| Elasticmodulus | >3500 MPa |
| Meltingpoint | 160 °C |
| Ignitionpoint | >350 °C |
| Alkaliresistance | Excellent |
| Waterabsorption | Nil |
| Dosage | 0.9 kg/m³ |
| Packaging | 0.9 kg bags |
| Shelflife | 5 years |
| Storage | Dry, protected from direct sunlight |
As an accredited SikaFiber PPM-12 - 12 mm Long Monofilament Polypropylene Fibers for Use in Concrete and Mortars factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | SikaFiber PPM-12 is supplied in 600 g bags, 20 bags per carton (12 kg total), suitable for concrete and mortar. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | 20′ FCL container loading of SikaFiber PPM-12 12 mm polypropylene fibers for concrete/mortars, palletized, secured, and evenly distributed. |
| Shipping | SikaFiber PPM-12 is shipped as a non-hazardous, non-regulated material. It is packaged in moisture-resistant bags/cartons, palletized and shrink-wrapped. No UN number, hazard class, or special labels are required. Keep dry and handle with standard dust-control precautions. Transport in clean, covered vehicles; store in cool, dry conditions away from moisture and ignition sources. |
| Storage | Store SikaFiber PPM-12 in original, unopened bags in a dry, cool, well-ventilated area, away from direct sunlight, moisture, heat, and ignition sources. Keep bags sealed, off the floor, and protected from damage, contamination, sharp objects, and excessive compression. Use oldest stock first and observe the manufacturer’s stated shelf life, typically about 24 months when properly stored. |
| Shelf Life | Shelf life: 24 months from production if stored properly in original unopened packaging, dry conditions, and protected from direct sunlight. |
In closed-face TBM segment plants, SikaFiber PPM-12 (12 mm monofilament polypropylene) is added during the dry-phase charging sequence to control plastic shrinkage before steam curing and to reduce fire spalling risk. The fibre is introduced after the coarse and fine aggregates have been charged into the twin-shaft compulsory mixer but before cementitious binders and gauging water; this order prevents floating and balling of monofilaments at the top of the pan. Batching data from 3.0 m³ pan mixers indicate that extension of dry mixing time after fibre addition by 20 s to 30 s is required to achieve homogeneous distribution at dosage rates from 0.6 kg/m³ to 1.2 kg/m³. When the dosage exceeds 1.2 kg/m³, balling has been observed, particularly when the fibres are added to a dry cement-rich zone without sufficient aggregate cushion. The wet cast mix is typically adjusted with a polycarboxylate ether high-range water reducer to maintain a slump of 100 mm to 150 mm; the 12 mm filaments reduce slump by approximately 10 mm to 20 mm at the upper addition rate, but the exact change depends on aggregate grading and water-binder ratio. Conformity for the fibre is evaluated under EN 14889-2:2006, and concrete performance for fire spalling is assessed by ISO 834-1:1999 or the RWS hydrocarbon curve in tunnel-specific specifications; the fibre melts at 160 °C to 170 °C, creating channels for water-vapour pressure relief. Segment moulds with external vibrators operating at 50 Hz to 70 Hz and steam-curing chambers at 55 °C to 65 °C do not degrade the polypropylene fibre. The terminal precast elements, typically 1.5 m to 2.4 m wide and 300 mm to 400 mm thick, benefit from reduced crack formation at lifting inserts, gasket grooves and bolt pockets. This fibre is not a substitute for reinforcing steel or steel fibres; it does not control post-crack flexural capacity and should not be used as the sole reinforcement in structural segments unless the design explicitly accounts for the fibre contribution as a plastic-shrinkage and fire-spalling additive only.
Batch-plant dosing of 12 mm monofilament polypropylene fibres is specified for dry-mix sprayed concrete because nozzle injection of lightweight filaments creates pulsed distribution and fibre-rich patches in the sprayed layer. The fibre is metered into the pan mixer at the batching plant after the aggregate has been pre-wetted to 2% to 4% moisture but before cement addition; this sequence reduces static charge and allows the monofilaments to disperse in the moving bed. Dosage in rock support and temporary lining applications is typically 0.9 kg/m³ to 1.5 kg/m³; higher dosages up to 2.0 kg/m³ are used in fire-protection shotcrete but require longer mixing and may reduce pumpability. The dry mix is conveyed through hoses with an internal diameter not smaller than 50 mm; field reports indicate that reducer couplings below 40 mm and sharp bends near the nozzle are the most frequent points of fibre-induced blockages. Spraying parameters follow EN 14487-1:2005 for sprayed concrete classification and EN 14488-8 for rebound measurement; fibre content verification in the hardened layer is performed by washing out cores or by image analysis. Rebound values in dry-mix fibre shotcrete are typically 10% to 20% when the nozzle angle is maintained at 80° to 90° to the substrate and the nozzle distance is 0.8 m to 1.2 m; the fibres themselves do not act as a rebound agent but increase the viscosity of the sprayed layer. The 12 mm length is below the threshold at which sprayability and hose wear become severe, but air volume must be kept stable because surging air pressure can separate fibres from aggregate at the nozzle. The terminal applications are slope stabilisation, rock mass consolidation, temporary tunnel crown sealing, and repair of fire-damaged concrete where mesh installation is impractical. The operational boundary is that this fibre does not replace welded wire mesh in high-deformation ground; support design must still rely on rock bolts, lattice girders or steel fibre reinforcement when structural ductility is required. Published data for 12 mm monofilament polypropylene in dry-mix shotcrete at dosages above 2.0 kg/m³ are limited; mix design qualification must include spray trials.
| Application segment | Primary fibre or product standard | Plastic-shrinkage/performance test | Process boundary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Precast TBM lining segments | EN 14889-2:2006 | ASTM C1579-21 / ISO 834-1:1999 fire test | Steam curing ≤ 65 °C; dosage ≤ 1.2 kg/m³ |
| Dry-mix shotcrete | EN 14889-2:2006, EN 14487-1:2005 | EN 14488-8 rebound | Hose ID ≥ 50 mm; dosage 0.9–1.5 kg/m³ |
| Industrial slab-on-grade | ASTM C1116/C1116M-23 Type III | ASTM C1579-21 | Polished finish dosage ≤ 0.9 kg/m³ |
| Cementitious repair mortar | EN 1504-3:2005 | EN 1015-3 flow | Mixing time ≤ 5 min; thickness > 20 mm |
| Architectural precast panels | PCI MNL-116-21 | ASTM C1579-21 | Face mix fibre-free; face layer ≥ 20 mm |
Placement of a 200 mm slab-on-grade in a 40,000 m² logistics facility with a laser-guided screed and ride-on trowel exposes a plastic-shrinkage cracking window between screeding and final trowelling. SikaFiber PPM-12 is batched into ready-mixed concrete at 0.6 kg/m³ to 0.9 kg/m³ for this application; the lower bound is used when a high-gloss polished finish is specified, because protruding monofilaments can create surface fuzz during power trowelling. The fibre is added at the central batching plant or on site through the truck charging chute with the coarse aggregate stream; after fibre addition, the truck drum is rotated at 10 rpm to 12 rpm for 70 to 100 revolutions to achieve full dispersion. The mix is proportioned with C32/40 concrete, a water-cement ratio of 0.45 to 0.50, and a 20 mm maximum aggregate size; slump is controlled at 120 mm ± 20 mm by adjusting a polycarboxylate ether superplasticizer. The concrete is pumped through 125 mm delivery lines or placed directly by conveyor, struck off with a laser screed, bull-floated, and trowel-finished with ride-on equipment; the fibre does not affect laser signal transmission at standard dosage rates. Performance is assessed with ASTM C1579-21 for plastic shrinkage cracking and ACI 302.1R-15 for floor construction practice; the fibre is classified as Type III synthetic fibre under ASTM C1116/C1116M-23. Joint spacing and load-transfer design remain governed by ACI 360R-10, because the 12 mm monofilament does not replace steel dowels, reinforcing mesh, or structural fibres. The end product is a warehouse, distribution centre, or manufacturing floor slab with reduced random cracking but unchanged jointing discipline. The operational boundary for this application is a maximum dosage of 0.9 kg/m³ when a hard-trowelled or polished surface is required; above this level, surface fibre visibility and trowelling defects become noticeably more frequent.
In high-flow cementitious repair mortars placed on car-park ramps and bridge pier caps, the addition of SikaFiber PPM-12 at 0.3 kg/m³ to 0.6 kg/m³ reduces plastic shrinkage cracking in sections poured at 40 mm to 80 mm thickness, but it also reduces initial flow and requires adjustment of the liquid dosage. Laboratory trials with paddle mixers at 400 rpm to 600 rpm show that fibre addition before the gauging water disperses the filaments more evenly than post-water addition; mixing time is extended to 2 min to 3 min and should not exceed 5 min because longer high-shear mixing can wrap filaments around the paddle shaft and produce fibre balls. Fresh mortar is pumped or poured into prepared substrates with a roughness of at least 3 mm, primed according to the repair system manufacturer, and cured with polyethylene sheeting or curing membrane. The hardened material is tested under EN 1504-3:2005 for structural repair products, using EN 12190 for compressive strength and EN 1542 for pull-off adhesion; the fibre contributes to crack control but is not an adhesion promoter. The 12 mm length is appropriate for repair thicknesses above 20 mm; thinner overlays may show visible fibre ends at the trowelled surface. The terminal finished components are edge repairs, soffit patches, ramp resurfacing under 40 mm to 80 mm, and reprofiling of concrete edges around expansion joints. The limitation is that this fibre does not improve resistance to heavy studded tyre wear; a separate hardened aggregate topping or steel-fibre reinforced mortar is required for high-abrasion surfaces.
Architectural precast façade panels cast in vertical battery moulds or horizontal steel moulds use a two-layer casting system in which the face mix is left fibre-free and the backup concrete carries SikaFiber PPM-12 at 0.6 kg/m³ to 1.0 kg/m³. The face mix, 20 mm to 30 mm thick, is placed first and compacted on a vibration table at 50 Hz to 70 Hz; the backup mix with fibre is then cast to the full panel thickness, typically 70 mm to 120 mm. This sequence prevents visible filaments at the exposed surface while allowing the backup layer to resist plastic shrinkage cracking around blockouts, window openings, and thin return edges. Mix design uses 5 mm to 10 mm coarse aggregate in the face layer and 10 mm to 14 mm aggregate in the backup layer, with a water-cement ratio of 0.35 to 0.45 and a polycarboxylate ether water reducer to maintain a flowable consistency. Compliance is evaluated against PCI MNL-116-21 for architectural precast concrete and ASTM C1579-21 for restrained plastic shrinkage cracking; release agents, form liners and acid etching must be qualified with fibre-containing backup concrete because surface retarding of the face mix can expose fibres if the face layer is too thin. Demoulding occurs after 16 h to 20 h at 20 °C to 25 °C or after accelerated curing at 50 °C to 60 °C; polypropylene monofilaments do not stain the concrete surface. The terminal products are rainscreen cladding panels, sandwich façade elements, and unitised precast spandrels. The operational boundary is that the fibre should not be used in the face mix itself, and the face-layer thickness must not drop below 20 mm if the panel is acid-etched, because fibres from the backup layer can become visible through localised matrix loss.
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SikaFiber PPM-12 is a discrete 12 mm monofilament polypropylene fiber supplied for concrete and mortar. The product falls within the Type III synthetic fiber classification of ASTM C1116/C1116M and the polymer fiber scope of EN 14889-2:2006. Its primary function is control of plastic shrinkage cracking in fresh cementitious matrices through three-dimensional distribution of high-count, low-modulus filaments. The fiber is not a primary tensile reinforcement; it is non-corrosive, hydrophobic, and alkali-resistant in the pH range 12–13 typical of cement pore solution. The product differs from longer macro-synthetic fibers and steel fibers in geometry, modulus, and residual strength contribution.
Compliance evaluation for SikaFiber PPM-12 involves dimensional verification, polymer properties, and concrete performance testing. Under EN 14889-2:2006, polymer fibers for concrete are assessed for length, diameter, tensile strength, Young’s modulus, alkali resistance, and effect on concrete consistence. Under ASTM C1116/C1116M, Type III synthetic fiber is used in concrete for plastic shrinkage crack control. The relevant restrained plastic shrinkage test is ASTM C1579-21, which uses a slab specimen with a steel channel insert to induce cracking under controlled evaporation. Flexural performance, where required by specification, is measured according to ASTM C1609/C1609M or ASTM C1399/C1399M; the former reports residual strength at net deflections of L/600 and L/150, while the latter reports average residual strength of a cracked beam. For production quality control, slump is measured to ASTM C143/C143M and air content to ASTM C231/C231M or EN 12350-7.
| Property | Typical value or classification | Standard reference |
|---|---|---|
| Fiber type | Monofilament polypropylene | ASTM C1116/C1116M Type III |
| Nominal length | 12 mm | EN 14889-2:2006 dimensional control |
| Density | 0.91 g/cm³ | ISO 1183-1 |
| Melt temperature | 160–170 °C | ISO 3146 |
| Tensile strength class | 300–400 MPa | EN 14889-2:2006 declared property |
| Young's modulus class | 3.5–4.5 GPa | EN 14889-2:2006 declared property |
| Alkali resistance | No significant hydrolysis in pH 12–13 | EN 14889-2:2006 requirements |
| Numerical values are class-typical for 12 mm monofilament polypropylene and should be confirmed against the current SikaFiber PPM-12 technical data sheet. | ||
In a ready-mix plant using a twin-shaft compulsory mixer of 2.0 m³ batch capacity, the addition sequence controls dispersion. When a full 0.9 kg/m³ dose is added after mixing water, localized agglomeration can form around paddle shafts and the discharge gate because the hydrophobic filaments resist immediate wetting and entangle. The accepted sequence is to feed SikaFiber PPM-12 onto the aggregate stream during batching, add cement and water, and then initiate wet mixing. A dispersion hopper or steel mesh over the charging chute further reduces balling in high-shear pan mixers. The dry-mix interval before water addition is not required for fiber hydration; it is required to separate the monofilaments by aggregate abrasion.
The plastic shrinkage control dosage in flatwork is typically 0.6–0.9 kg/m³. In severe exposure, specifications may require 1.0–1.5 kg/m³; this upper range requires trial mixing for finishability and pumpability. The product is added at the batching plant; site addition to a ready-mix truck is not recommended because consistent dispersion cannot be ensured and balling may occur at the discharge chute.
Plastic shrinkage cracking occurs when the evaporation rate from fresh concrete exceeds bleeding rate and negative capillary pressure in the pore menisci drives crack initiation. Fiber bridging does not reduce evaporation or bleeding; it resists microcrack coalescence after initiation. In restrained slab testing under ASTM C1579-21, addition of 0.6–0.9 kg/m³ of monofilament polypropylene fiber is reported to reduce crack width and total crack area relative to the unreinforced control. Field performance depends on cement content, aggregate grading, air content, slab thickness, wind speed, and ambient temperature. When the evaporation rate exceeds 1.0 kg/m²/h, a specification should include fog misting, windbreaks, or evaporation retarders because no microfiber dose can fully suppress cracking under severe drying conditions.
The dosage should not be increased beyond the specified upper limit without trial mixing. At 2.0 kg/m³ and above, slump loss measured by ASTM C143/C143M can exceed 50 mm depending on aggregate shape, paste volume, and water-binder ratio. Balling is a batch-to-batch risk in mixes with high sand fineness modulus or low paste volume. In pumped concrete, 90° bends and small-diameter rubber hoses can accumulate poorly dispersed fibers at couplings if wetting is incomplete. The mix remains pumpable at doses up to 1.0 kg/m³ when slump is maintained with an ASTM C494/C494M Type A or Type F admixture, but line pressure can increase. No additional water should be used to restore slump because it increases water-binder ratio and lowers compressive strength.
A 12 mm monofilament of fine diameter has an aspect ratio on the order of 400–600, depending on the nominal diameter. Fiber count per kilogram is inversely proportional to the product of length and the square of diameter. At a dosage of 0.9 kg/m³, the number of discrete filaments per cubic meter is on the order of 10^8; the precise value depends on diameter and density. This high count provides close fiber spacing and intercepts microcracks before coalescence. Unlike steel fibers with a density of 7.85 g/cm³, polypropylene fibers have a density of 0.91 g/cm³, which reduces settlement and segregation in low-viscosity concrete. The modulus of 3.5–4.5 GPa is too low to arrest widening cracks under sustained load, but sufficient for stress transfer across a narrow plastic-state crack plane. Polypropylene does not undergo alkaline hydrolysis at pH 12–13, and the hydrophobic surface does not increase mix water demand in the manner of hydrophilic cellulose or glass fibers. Mechanical anchorage is derived from length, aggregate interlock, and multiple crack intersections rather than chemical bond.
In cementitious matrices with water-binder ratios between 0.40 and 0.55, the filaments do not absorb free water and therefore do not compete with cement for mixing water. In mixes containing polycarboxylate ether superplasticizers, the admixture disperses cement particles and alters aqueous phase viscosity; the hydrophobic fiber surface can interact with the admixture polymer side chains, but no adverse phase separation is typically observed when the fiber is added ahead of the admixture. Published data for this specific admixture-fiber configuration is limited, so plant trials with the exact admixture and cement are required before production.
The monofilament geometry remains discrete during mixing; fibrillated polypropylene films are designed to open into a network under shear. Steel fibers with a Young’s modulus near 200 GPa provide post-crack residual stress, whereas SikaFiber PPM-12 is a micro-synthetic product intended for plastic-state crack control. Longer macro-synthetic fibers in the 38–65 mm range, dosed at 3–9 kg/m³, are specified where post-crack toughness in hardened concrete is required. For equal mass dose, a fine monofilament gives a significantly higher filament count per cubic meter than a 0.5 mm diameter macro fiber, but the shorter length and lower modulus limit hardened-state structural contribution.
| Fiber class | Typical length | Typical dosage | Primary function | Modulus class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SikaFiber PPM-12 monofilament polypropylene | 12 mm | 0.6–0.9 kg/m³ | Plastic shrinkage crack control | 3.5–4.5 GPa |
| Fibrillated polypropylene micro fiber | 12–19 mm | 0.6–1.0 kg/m³ | Plastic shrinkage crack control | 3–5 GPa |
| Hooked-end steel fiber | 35–60 mm | 15–40 kg/m³ | Post-crack flexural residual strength | 200 GPa |
| Macro-synthetic polypropylene fiber | 38–65 mm | 3–9 kg/m³ | Post-crack toughness in ground-supported slabs | 3–7 GPa |
| Dosage ranges are general industry practice for each class; project specifications and manufacturer data govern final dosage. | ||||
In machine-applied repair mortars and sprayed concrete, SikaFiber PPM-12 can be dosed into the dry mix or added at the batching plant. The 12 mm length is compatible with rotor-stator shotcrete machines and screw conveyors; fiber balling at the hopper screen occurs when packaged fibers are discharged too rapidly into the hopper. A regulated feed over 30–60 s per 25 kg bag, or a pre-mix with sand, improves distribution. In dry-mix sprayed concrete, rebound loss increases at high fiber contents because fibers reduce the plastic mass cohesion; published data for this specific configuration is limited. For wet-mix sprayed concrete, the dosage should not exceed the manufacturer’s limit without pump trials. In precast concrete, screeds, and repair mortars, the product is used where early-age plastic cracking is a concern and where steel fibers would compromise surface finish or corrosion resistance.
SikaFiber PPM-12 is not a substitute for load-bearing steel reinforcing bars or welded-wire reinforcement. Structural design of suspended slabs, beams, columns, and joints must use ACI 318 or Eurocode 2 with conventional reinforcement; synthetic fibers may be used only for crack control unless a specific structural contribution is validated by test data. The polymer melts at 160–170 °C; polypropylene fibers therefore do not provide tensile capacity in fire conditions after that temperature is exceeded. They are not suitable as the sole tensile reinforcement in thin-shell structural elements or in members requiring fatigue resistance under cyclic loading. The product should be stored in closed packaging; although polypropylene is hydrophobic and no pre-drying is required, long-term exposure to sunlight and UV radiation can degrade the unincorporated fiber surface. The fiber is chemically compatible with most cementitious systems but is not a corrosion inhibitor; reinforcement corrosion protection still requires concrete cover, low chloride ingress, and appropriate supplementary cementitious materials.
Quality-control testing should include batch weighment accuracy, visual inspection of fiber distribution in fresh concrete, and measurement of slump and air content according to ASTM C143/C143M and ASTM C231/C231M. If fibers are not visible on a broken fresh surface, mixing time should be increased in 30-second increments. The total mixing time after fiber addition should not be extended beyond 90 seconds beyond normal mixing unless a specific plant trial demonstrates no adverse effect on air void structure. Fiber content in hardened concrete can be verified by washout testing; the precision of this method is approximately ±10% depending on aggregate and sampling.
