Investigation on Geopolymer Concrete Reinforced with Steel and Hybrid Fibre

Abstract

AbstractRapid growth of population and urbanization causes a huge increment in the demand of cement as construction material. To reduce the environmental effects accompanying with ordinary portland cement, development of geopolymer concrete is needed. For the study, different concentrations of sodium hydroxide solution were taken, and compressive strength for each mix was calculated. The mix after ambient curing having the highest compressive strength was taken as the final concentration of sodium hydroxide and used for further study as a control geopolymer mix. In the control mix, steel fibres were mixed from zero to 1% with a gradual increment of 0.25% of total volume of concrete. Based on the workability criteria, the optimum steel fibre percentage was chosen. Keeping the optimum content of steel fibre constant, the polyester fibres were mixed from zero to 1% with a gradual increment of 0.25% of total volume of concrete. The optimum content of polyester fibre for geopolymer concrete reinforced with hybrid fibre was decided, based on workability. The durability criteria are also studied for the samples. Percentage loss in mass and compressive strength was evaluated at regular interval of time of acid exposure. The results presented that the 0.5% and 0.25% volume fraction are the optimum steel fibre content and optimum hybrid fibre content, respectively. Strength in compression, tension and bending is found to be increased on inclusion of steel fibres from 0 to 1% volume fraction in case of GPC reinforced with steel fibre. And in case of GPC reinforced with hybrid fibre, strength in compression and tension increases with the addition of polyester fibre up to 0.25% and decreases on further inclusion of fibres up to 1% volume fraction. However, strength in flexure increases on the addition of polyester fibres from 0 to 1% because of the effective crack filling property of finer polyester fibres.KeywordsSteel fibreGeopolymer concreteHybrid fibre