Performance of steel fibre reinforced lightweight aggregate concrete in fresh and hardened state

Abstract

Abstract There is a growing interest in the manufacture of lightweight aggregate concrete (LWC) due to its low density, which is below 2000 kg/m3. However, the trade-off for the lower density is a reduction in strength, leading to a drop in crack resistance. Therefore, steel fibre inclusion was implemented to augment the crack resistance of lightweight concrete (LWC). Thus, the present study aims to examine the impact of steel fibre on both the workability and mechanical properties of lightweight aggregate concrete (LWC) that incorporates lightweight expanded clay aggregate (LECA). Three varieties of concrete were fabricated, namely normal weight aggregate concrete (NC), lightweight concrete (LWC), and steel fibre lightweight concrete (SFWLC). The SFLWC incorporated hooked-end steel fibres as reinforcement, with fibre volume percentages of 1 % and 2 %. A strength assessment was undertaken to ascertain the concrete properties, with particular emphasis on compressive and tensile strength. The findings indicate that the incorporation of both LECA and steel fibre led to a notable reduction in the workability of concrete. Incorporating a 2 % steel fibre content into LWC yields a marginal enhancement in compressive strength. Steel fibre demonstrates enhanced efficacy when subjected to tension, with the most significant increase measured at around 152 %.