Effects of polypropylene fibers on ultra high performance concrete at elevated temperature

Abstract

This paper presents an experimental study to evaluate the influence of polypropylene on fire resistance of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC). Concrete mixtures are prepared by using different percentages of polypropylene fibres 0%, 0.75% and 1.5%, by volume. Samples are heated to 250 or 500 °C, for exposures 2.5 or 5 hours, and tested after cooling for compressive strength and flexural tensile strength. The research includes the use of mineral admixture of a recognized, polypropylene fibre, quartz sand, superplasticizers and without using any type of aggregates other than the quartz sand. The effect on subjected samples to elevated temperature up to 250 ºC and 500 ºC for durations 2.5 hours and 5 hours was studied for each mix and comparing the results of compressive strength and tensile strength among the mixes. Results obtained, showed that adding 0.75% of polypropylenes fibres only to a concrete mixture, improved the fire resistance of the concrete by 27% and 72% when the samples exposed to 250 ºC and 500 ºC for 2.5 hours respectively, compared with concrete mixes without fibres. In addition, the residual strength was improved by 39% and 14% when the samples exposed to 250 ºC and 500 ºC for 5 hours, respectively.