Short sisal fiber reinforced recycled concrete block for one-way precast concrete slabs

Abstract

This work is dedicated to the assessment of the structural capacity of a new lightweight block for one-way precast concrete slabs made of short sisal fiber reinforced concrete (SSFRC) containing natural and recycled aggregate. Flexural tests were carried out on SSFRC block samples, as well as on ceramic and EPS blocks used commercially. Slab panels including SSFRC, ceramic and EPS blocks were tested under four point bending configuration to assess the benefits of the new SSFRC block in quasi-real slab conditions. The results of the tests indicated the influence of the sisal fibers and recycled aggregate on the physical and mechanical properties of the concrete and the best structural performance of the SSFRC blocks in relation to commercial solutions. The flexural behavior and cracking of slabs were presented and discussed. Numerical models were also developed to predict the nonlinear behavior of the SSFRC and to simulate the flexural behavior, crack initiation and propagation in the blocks. By adopting this numerical strategy, a parametric study was carried out to simulated new design of blocks and to demonstrate that the load carrying capacity at serviceability limit state conditions can be significantly increased with the thickness of SSFRC block.

Concrete Reinforced with Sisal Fibers (SSF): Overview of Mechanical and Physical Properties

“…According to one research study, 1.5% of the fibers increased CS by nearly 15% when compared to the control specimens' strength [43]. The addition of SSF to the UHPC mixture, however, enhances the porosity of the matrix [78]. As a result, adding SSF to UHPC has two opposing impacts on CS, and further research is needed to relieve this detrimental impact on UHPC's mechanical strength.…”

“…The biggest strength gain after 28 days was determined to be 29.15 percent [49]. According to one research study [78], adding 6.0 percent (by mass of binder) SSF with a length of 40 mm to regular cement concrete reduced CS by 22.0 percent. The increased porosity caused by the inclusion of fibers is responsible for the decrease in CS.…”

The Mechanical Properties of Plant Fiber-Reinforced Geopolymers: A Review

“…When the fibers content is 1.0%, the mechanical properties of concrete are improved in the initial and later stages [ 104 ]. In another study, the addition of 6.0% sisal fibers of length 40 mm to ordinary concrete resulted in a 22.0% reduction in compressive strength [ 105 ]. Similarly, kenaf fiber-reinforced concrete has better mechanical properties than standard concrete samples.…”

Mechanical Properties of a New Fully Prefabricated Staggered Flip-Down Slab

“…Mansour et al (2015) found that adding a thin layer of steel fiber concrete into precast concrete slabs could increase its flexural performance. Dal Lago et al ( 2017), Lima et al (2018), and Crocetti et al (2014 used fiber reinforcement in prefabricated concrete slabs and found that it has clear benefits on the post-cracking flexural capacity. May et al (2019) studied the required load-bearing capacity and deflection stiffness of precast slabs made of carbon reinforced concrete at conventional construction height and demonstrated that the slab concrete could be reduced continuously by optimizing the load-bearing structure.…”