Sustainable Use of Waste Polypropylene Fibers and Palm Oil Fuel Ash in the Production of Novel Prepacked Aggregate Fiber-Reinforced Concrete

Fahed Alrshoudi,Hussam Alghamdi,Yousef R Alharbi,Abdulaziz Alsaif,Rayed Alyousef,Mahmood Md Tahir,Hossein Mohammadhosseini

doi:10.3390/su12124871

Abstract

This study proposed the prepacked aggregates fiber-reinforced concrete (PAFRC), which is a newly developed concrete, with a unique combination of coarse aggregate and short polypropylene (PP) fiber that is premixed and placed in the formworks. This study aims to investigate the potential use of waste polypropylene fibers and palm oil fuel ash (POFA) in the production of PAFRC to enhance the strength and deformation properties. The compressive strength, impact-resistant, drying shrinkage, and microstructural analysis of PAFRC were investigated experimentally. Six mixes comprising fiber volume fractions from 0–1.25% with a length of 30 mm were cast by gravity technique. Another six mixtures with the same fiber volume fractions were cast using a pump to inject the grout into the formwork. The experimental outcomes exposed that with the addition of PP carpet fiber, the compressive strength of PAFRC decreased. Nevertheless, PAFRC mixes shown a remarkable improvement in the tensile strength. The combination of POFA and PP fibers in PAFRC specimens led to higher impact strength and increasing the ductility of concrete. In addition, the drying shrinkage of PAFRC reduced significantly with the addition of waste PP fibers. It can be concluded that due to the adequate strength and deformation properties, PAFRC is the potential to be used as innovative fiber reinforced concrete in several applications.

Highlights

Cleaner and sustainable productions are essential themes of social development all around the world
Prepacked aggregate concrete (PAC) is a specific type of concrete that is manufactured by placing different sizes and shapes of coarse aggregates in the formworks, in which the internal cavities and openings are filled with a mixture of cement and sand in the form of high fluidity grout
A denser matrix with higher strength due to the point-to-point interaction of aggregate particles can be made by using a PAC type of concrete [8]

Summary

Introduction

Cleaner and sustainable productions are essential themes of social development all around the world. Prepacked aggregate concrete (PAC) is a specific type of concrete that is manufactured by placing different sizes and shapes of coarse aggregates in the formworks, in which the internal cavities and openings are filled with a mixture of cement and sand in the form of high fluidity grout. Prepacked aggregates fiber-reinforced concrete (PAFRC) is a novel construction material made of the combination of coarse aggregates with different sizes and short fibers placed in formworks, and cementing material mix with sand in injected to the gaps among the particles in the form of the grout. Many researchers have discovered the possible use of solid wastes in construction materials, concrete or mortar, and their influences on the mechanical properties In this regard, the manufacture of polymer-based fibers utilized for the manufacturing of carpets and textiles has been steadily rising, at present more than 70 million tons yearly [19,20]. The consumption of waste polypropylene (PP) fiber and POFA in the manufacture of PAFRC could be beneficial in both environmental and economic points of view

Materials

Testing Methods

Findings

Microstructural Analysis