Impact resistance, microstructures and digital image processing on self-compacting concrete with hooked end and crimped steel fiber

Abstract

This research paper presents the results of extensive experimental investigations and analytical results on the fresh and hardened properties of self-compacting concrete reinforced with hybrid hooked end fiber (HF) and crimped steel fiber (CF) in different fiber volume fractions. In this present investigation, the mixes were reinforced with different fiber combinations of hooked end fiber (0.25, 0.5 and 0.75%) and crimped fiber (0.25 and 0.5%). The fresh state properties of the mixes were characterized by using slump flow diameter, T50cm, and V-funnel test. The hardened properties of self-compacting concrete (SCC) mixes were assessed by using compressive strength, flexural strength and impact resistance test. Regression analysis was carried out in order to correlate the fresh and hardened state on the extensively large volume of collected experimental data. The results reported that adding hybrid hooked end-crimped steel fiber significantly improves the compressive strength, flexural strength and impact resistance. Addition of hooked end steel fiber led to improve the compressive strength when compared to crimped end fiber. Moreover, increasing the crimped fiber content decreased the effect of hooked end steel fiber in flexural strength improvement.