Abstracto

Effect of Basalt Fibre on Mechanical Properties of Concrete Containing Fly Ash and Metakaolin

Elba Helen George, B. Bhuvaneshwari, G. S. Palani,P. Eapen Sakaria, Nagesh R. Iyer

Application of composites science and technology can impart a major influence on the production of high performance concrete for the enhanced service life of concrete structures. During the last three decades, research on Fibre Reinforced Concrete (FRC), one of the advanced composite materials, is carried out to enhance concrete toughness by using high-modulus fibres as substitute, partially or totally to the conventional reinforcement, for structural applications. In the present investigation, basalt fiber is chosen as reinforcement material. Basalt fibre is a single material fibre manufactured by melting of basalt and extruding the molten basalt through small nozzles to produce continuous filaments of basalt fibre. The basalt fibre used in the present study has a diameter of 13 μm and a length of 12 mm. As the addition of pozzolanic materials to concrete leads to pozzolanic reaction, 2.5 % of fly ash and metakaolin by weight of cement is added to concrete. The reaction involves the consumption of hydration product, Ca(OH)2 and the production of CSH, which enhance the packing efficiency from micromechanics point of view. The grade of concrete chosen is M20 and the respective cubes, cylinders and beams are casted with and without basalt fibre reinforcement. The amount of basalt fibre added is 1% of the total mass of the concrete. Mechanical characterisation such as compression, split tensile and flexural tests are performed and the results show that, basalt reinforcement enhanced the split and tensile strength of the concrete.