Mechanical properties and efficiency of SIFCON samples at elevated temperature cured with standard and accelerated method

Abstract

This research shows the results and conclusions of an experimental study that aims to shed light on the mechanical performance of Slurry Infiltrated Fiber Concrete (SIFCON) (i.e. compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, flexural strength, Poisson's ratio, elastic modulus, and ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) and explore its efficiency at elevated temperature (i.e. 200, 400 and 600 °C) with different steel fiber ratios of 5 %, 7.5 %, and 10 % cured standard and in boiling water (accelerated curing). Hence, sets of cylinders and prisms are cast and tested under ASTM standard conditions. The results indicate that mechanical properties improve by increasing the steel fiber ratio up to 7.5 % in the case of a standard curing system, but more improvement is achieved with a steel fiber ratio up to 10 % in case of accelerated curing with boiling water. Also, the results indicate the superiority of the accelerated curing method for flexural and splitting tensile strength. Fly ash has a good contribution to the enhancement of mechanical performance of SIFCON with high steel fiber ratios. A decreasing and drastic reduction in compressive strength with increasing temperature above 200 and 400 °C for control specimens and SIFCON specimens with fiber ratios of 5 %, respectively are observed. While a dramatic gain in the strength of SIFCON samples with fiber ratios of 7.5 % and 10 % is concluded. High ratios of steel fiber can retard the spalling of concrete; hence it makes SIFCON the unique material for resisting explosive loads.