Investigation of the uniform distribution of basalt fibre in a foam concrete mixture

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

This research aimed to study the impact of uniform basalt fibre reinforcement on the mechanical properties of foam concrete, such as compressive strength, bending and frost resistance. A comprehensive methodology was used, which included the preparation and testing of foam concrete mixtures containing basalt fibre, and conducting strength and frost resistance tests using specialised equipment. As a result of the conducted research, it was found that the uniform addition of basalt fibre to the foam concrete composition significantly improves its mechanical properties. The compressive strength of reinforced foam concrete has increased by 30-40% compared to conventional foam concrete, especially noticeable in the early stages of hardening. For example, after 28 days of hardening, the compressive strength of reinforced foam concrete was 2.65 MPa, whereas for the non-reinforced analogue, it reached only 1.8 MPa. In addition, reinforced foam concrete has demonstrated a significant improvement in bending strength. After 28 days of hardening, the bending strength was 1.8 MPa, which is 56% higher compared to conventional foam concrete, which had this indicator of 1.15 MPa. This suggests that basalt fibre effectively prevents the development of microcracks, increasing the overall durability of the material. In addition, in the course of the study, an improvement in the frost resistance of foam concrete reinforced with basalt fibre was revealed. After 30 cycles of freezing and defrosting, reinforced foam concrete showed a lower weight loss of 1.8% compared to conventional foam concrete, in which this figure reached 3.7%. This indicates the high resistance of the material to cyclic climatic influences, which makes it more suitable for use in extreme climatic conditions. Thus, the results obtained confirm a significant improvement in the mechanical properties of reinforced foam concrete, demonstrating that basalt fibre reinforcement makes it a more reliable and durable material for various construction applications