Reinforcement of conventional concrete through addition of steel fibres is a technology which began to be developed some 30 years ago. In Brazil this technology is still little known and applied. In the construction of hydraulic structures, concrete reinforced with steel fibres represents an economically advantageous technical solution for the problem of erosion and cavitation of concrete structures. In course of time, steel fibres which could be used with ease were developed; the fibres conferred on the concrete a reasonable increase of resistance to traction and above all, to impact. By the application of concrete with steel fibres around blocks of dissipation of energy, in sluice slots, in suction tubes, in critical boxes and in areas of the downstream face of spillways, as well as in tunnels and bottom dischargers, it was possible to considerably increase the durability of the concrete and even eliminate the occurrence of damages caused by the forces of erosion and cavitation. Besides, concrete with steel fibres is utilized for recuperation and repair of hydraulic structures. In the construction of hydraulic tunnels the high resistance of the material is especially advantageous.
