Multifunctional properties of carbon fiber integrated cement composite – A review and insights

Abstract

This article examines the strength characteristics of carbon fiber-reinforced cement composite (CFRCC). The research explores the residual mechanical characteristics and microstructure of concrete reinforced with carbon fiber. The review also focused on the determination of the effect of CFRCC on the improvement of strength, microstructure, crystalline phase shift, and hydration products of the cement composites. The review indicates that the inclusion of carbon fibers can intensify the flexural and splitting strengths of CFRCC, but the compressive strength is magnified to a lesser extent. In addition to the initial elastic modulus and peak stress of carbon fiber-reinforced cement composite, a discernible strain-rate hardening effect was also observed. This indicates that carbon fiber-reinforced cement composite has a promising future as cement composite reinforcements. The review of the characteristics of the composites also suggests their applicability in tunnel building in the cement composite. It is determined that carbon fiber-reinforced cement composite has a stronger capacity to withstand impact loads, and further information about its features will be supplied. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) result demonstrates that the single and most significant failure mode under stress is carbon fiber breaking and the pull-out of carbon fibers. Thus, the review reveals that carbon fibers have a limited but positive act on enhancing the mechanical properties of cement composites.