Properties of self-compacting lightweight aggregate concrete containing polyolefin fibers

Abstract

Self-compacting concrete (S.C.C.) has, In the last three decades, been popular in construction sectors due to its strong capacity to increase durability and minimize bleeding with excellent bonding with reinforcement. The manufacturing of S.C.C., on the other hand, needs a large amount of aggregates. Light weighting of various installations is a critical requirement for reducing dead loads. Nevertheless, substituting the conventional coarse aggregate in S.C.C. with lightweight coarse aggregate (bonza aggregate) could result in lightweight construction concrete being produced. Fiber strengthened S.C.C. has a detrimental impact on the qualities of fresh concrete while having a beneficial impact on its mechanical characteristics. The influence of varying five proportions (0%,0.25%,0.5%,0.75%, 1%) polyolefin fibers on the time-dependent fresh features and mechanical behavior of lightweight self-compacting concrete (LWSCC) mixture was examined in this study. To evaluate the hardening features of the LWSCC mixture which strengthened with polyolefin fiber, several tests were conducted, including the dry bulk density test, water absorption and porosity test, penetration test, compressive resistance test, splitting tensile resistance test, flexural resistance test, modulus of elasticity test, ultrasonic pulse velocity test, and thermal conductivity test. The optimum ratio of polyolefin fibers is 0.25%, reducing the properties of fresh concrete and increasing its hardening properties. At the age of 28 days, it increases the compressive strength, split strength, flexural strength, and modulus of elasticity by 3%, 17%, 1%, 11, respectively.