Improving the mechanical properties of lightweight foamed concrete using various types of fibres

Abstract

Lightweight foamed concrete has recently been adopted as a more sustainable construction material due to various features such as reduction in member size, better thermal insulation, and cost savings. This work examines an attempt to improve the brittle nature of foam concrete with the addition of different types of fibres. Five types of fibres were used: steel fibres (hooked-ends), micro steel fibres (straight ends), carbon, glass, and polypropylene fibres. The effect of fibre type on the fresh (density and flowability) and hardened (compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, flexural strength, and static modulus of elasticity) properties of lightweight foamed concrete were thus investigated. The results collected from the experimental work revealed that steel fibres significantly improve the performance of lightweight foamed concrete in terms most properties while other types of fibres (carbon, glass and polypropylene fibres) improved properties at different levels to the steel fibres. Using 0.45 hooked-ends steel fibres gave the most significant improvement in splitting, flexural strength, modulus of elasticity and compressive strength at 162.5%, 83.78%, 72.41%, and 63.63%, respectively.