Effect of Varying Steel Fiber Content on Strength and Permeability Characteristics of High Strength Concrete with Micro Silica

Abstract

For the efficient and durable design of concrete, the role of fiber-reinforcements with mineral admixtures needs to be properly investigated considering various factors such as contents of fibers and potential supplementary cementitious material. Interactive effects of fibers and mineral admixtures are also needed to be appropriately studied. In this paper, properties of concrete were investigated with individual and combined incorporation of steel fiber (SF) and micro-silica (MS). SF was used at six different levels i.e., low fiber volume (0.05% and 0.1%), medium fiber volume (0.25% and 0.5%) and high fiber volume (1% and 2%). Each volume fraction of SF was investigated with 0%, 5% and 10% MS as by volume of binder. All concrete mixtures were assessed based on the results of important mechanical and permeability tests. The results revealed that varying fiber dosage showed mixed effects on the compressive (compressive strength and elastic modulus) and permeability (water absorption and chloride ion penetration) properties of concrete. Generally, low to medium volume fractions of fibers were useful in advancing the compressive strength and elastic modulus of concrete, whereas high fiber fractions showed detrimental effects on compressive strength and permeability resistance. The addition of MS with SF is not only beneficial to boost the strength properties, but it also improves the interaction between fibers and binder matrix. MS minimizes the negative effects of high fiber doses on the properties of concrete.

Special Issue: Supplementary Cementitious Materials in Concrete, Part I

“…properties of modified cement matrix composites reinforced with fibers [14,[18][19][20]; • application of new types of supplementary cementitious materials [13,16,[21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28]; • characterization of various types of modified cement based materials [18,21,23,[25][26][27][28][29][30][31].…”

“…The issues of the original research papers and stat-of-the art reviews published in this Special Issue of Materials, and coming from over 45 international universities and scientific centres, can be divided as follows: permeability and diffusivity, which are directly related to the quality of concrete and to the durability in various aggressive environments [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ]; properties of modified cement matrix composites reinforced with fibers [ 14 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]; application of new types of supplementary cementitious materials [ 13 , 16 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 ]; characterization of various types of modified cement based materials [ 18 , 21 , 23 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 ]. …”

“…permeability and diffusivity, which are directly related to the quality of concrete and to the durability in various aggressive environments [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ];…”

“…In the paper presented by Ali et al [ 14 ] the individual and combined incorporation of steel fiber and micro-silica in high-strength concrete were investigated. The tailoring of concrete were performed according to the results of mechanical and permeability tests.…”

An Experimental Investigation on the Mechanical Properties including Strength and Flexural Toughness of Mortar Reinforced with Steel‐Carbon Hybrid Fibers

“…Mortars reinforced with steelcarbon hybrid fibers are effective in terms of increasing strength and flexural toughness, but information on the proper mixing ratio of these fibers is still too limited. Currently, hybrid fiber-reinforced mortar (FRM) is mainly applied to concrete structures using fibers whose fiber mixing ratio is less than 1.0% considering the improvement of construction efficiency and economic feasibility, although studies on hybrid FRM are somewhat insufficient actually [47][48][49]. It is thus the ultimate purpose of this study to develop an excellent hybrid FRM that can simultaneously improve the strength and flexural toughness of mortar reinforced with steel-carbon hybrid fibers having different material characteristics with a view to obtain a synergistic effect, which cannot be gained with that of single fibers.…”