Effect of Steel Fiber on Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity and Mechanical Properties of Self-Compact Light Weight Concrete

Abstract

In this research, an attempt has been made to study the velocity of ultra-sonic pulse Velocity (UPV) transmitted through self-compacting lightweight concrete (SCLC) with and without steel fiber (SF) for different specimen lengths (i.e. 100 mm cubes and 200 mm cylinders). Two volume fractions of SF “0.4%” and “0.8%”(as an indication to steel fiber content (SFC) were also studied to explore their contributor role. It was found that, for the (100 mm) cubic specimens and the (200 mm) cylindrical specimens, the UPV increment with increasing SFC, but the percentage of increase is higher in cylinders than in cubes. It was also found that, for the same SF volume fraction, the UPV in the SCLC, increases with the decreasing of specimen length, from (200 mm) cylinders to (100 mm) cubes. The percentage of this increase decreases with the increment of SFC. The influence of SF on three mechanical properties of the SCLC (namely: the compressive strength, the splitting tensile strength, and the bulk density) was also studied. It was found that the three mentioned properties are enhanced with the increment of SFC, but this increase is moderately in compressive strength, extremely in tensile strength, and slightly in bulk density.