Study on Mechanical Properties of Coarse-Fine Polypropylene Fiber Blended Concrete
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Specimen Design and Grouping
2.1. Fiber and Concrete
2.2. Sample Design
3. Cube Compressive Strength Test
3.1. Cube Compression Test Procedure
3.2. Cube Compression Failure Pattern
3.3. Cube Compression Test Results
4. Splitting Tensile Strength Test
4.1. Splitting Test Procedure
4.2. Splitting Failure Pattern
4.3. Splitting Test Results
5. Flexural Strength Test
5.1. Flexural Test Procedure
5.2. Flexural Failure Pattern
5.3. Load-Deflection Curve
5.4. Flexural Test Results
6. Axial Compressive Stress-Strain Curve Test
6.1. Test Procedure
6.2. Failure Pattern Under Axial Compression
6.3. Test Results
6.4. Fitting of the Axial Compressive Stress–Strain Curve
7. Conclusions
- (1)
- Under uniaxial loading, plain concrete specimens exhibited typical brittle failure characterized by rapid crack propagation and significant spalling. In contrast, fiber-reinforced concrete specimens maintain integrity due to the crack-bridging effect of the fibers, which effectively controls the crack width and results in a “cracked but not crushed” failure mode, thereby achieving notable crack resistance and toughness enhancement.
- (2)
- The experimental results indicate that the mechanical properties of concrete initially increase and then decrease with increasing fiber content. Within the range studied, when the coarse fiber content was 1% and the fiber length was 30 mm, the compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, and flexural strength of the specimens increased by 12.6%, 29.8%, and 44.5%, and each index of concrete specimen reached its best. Respectively, compared to plain concrete. However, when the fiber content was increased to 1.5%, agglomeration phenomena occurred, leading to a marked deterioration in the overall performance.
- (3)
- In flexural tests, plain concrete specimens exhibited sudden brittle fracture, whereas fiber-reinforced specimens were able to maintain structural continuity after the appearance of mid-span cracks due to the bridging action of the fibers. The residual strength increased with fiber content, which clearly demonstrates the significant improvement in ductility and crack resistance imparted by the fibers, thereby verifying the potential application of polypropylene fiber-reinforced concrete in sandwich wall panels and similar structures.
- (4)
- Based on existing segmented stress–strain equations for concrete, a model for the axial compression curve of polypropylene fiber-reinforced concrete was developed. Using the least-squares method, the relationship between the shape parameter, axial compressive strength, and fiber characteristic value was established. The model predictions, when compared with experimental data, showed excellent agreement, indicating that the proposed shape parameter formulation and corresponding curve model can accurately predict the axial stress–strain behavior of polypropylene fiber-reinforced concrete.
Author Contributions
Funding
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Fiber Type | Length/mm | Diameter/μm | Density/(g·cm−3) | Fusing Point/°C | Tensile Strength/MPa | Modulus of Elasticity/GPa | Elongation at Break/% | Alkali Resistance/% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Coarse fiber | 30/50 | 1000 | 0.91 | 174 | 627.9 | 10 | 6.3 | 98.9 |
Fine fiber | 12 | 27 | 0.91 | 168 | 625 | 5.2 | 22 | 99 |
Specific Surface Area/(m2·kg−1) | Setting Time/min | Compressive Strength/MPa | Flexural Strength/MPa | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Initial Set | Final Set | 3d | 28d | 3d | 28d | |
350 | 95 | 150 | 28.5 | 49.3 | 5.6 | 7.9 |
Experimental Group | Water | Cement | Sand | Gravel | Coarse and Fine Fiber Content Volume Rate/(%) | Coarse and Fine Fibers Length/(mm) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 240 | 453 | 553 | 1124 | 0.5% + 0.1% | 30 + 12 |
2 | 240 | 453 | 553 | 1124 | 0.5% + 0.1% | 50 + 12 |
3 | 240 | 453 | 553 | 1124 | 1% + 0.1% | 30 + 12 |
4 | 240 | 453 | 553 | 1124 | 1% + 0.1% | 50 + 12 |
5 | 240 | 453 | 553 | 1124 | 1.5% + 0.1% | 30 + 12 |
6 | 240 | 453 | 553 | 1124 | 1.5% + 0.1% | 50 + 12 |
7 | 240 | 453 | 553 | 1124 | — | — |
Test | Specimen Size/(mm) | Sample | Curing Method | Maintenance Completed or Not |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cube Compressive Strength | 150 × 150 × 150 | 3 | Natural curing | Yes |
Axial Compressive Stress–Strain Curve | 150 × 150 × 300 | 3 | Natural curing | Yes |
Splitting Tensile Strength | 100 × 100 × 100 | 3 | Natural curing | Yes |
Flexural Strength | 100 × 100 × 400 | 3 | Natural curing | Yes |
Sample Number | Fiber Content and Length (%-mm) | Compressive Strength (MPa) | Effective Compressive Strength (MPa) | Strength Growth Rate (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|
A1-1 | 0.5%-30 mm | 37.5 | 37.7 | 5.9 |
A1-2 | 38.6 | |||
A1-3 | 36.9 | |||
A2-1 | 0.5%-50 mm | 37.6 | 37.0 | 3.9 |
A2-2 | 36.5 | |||
A2-3 | 36.8 | |||
A3-1 | 1.0%-30 mm | 40.0 | 40.1 | 12.6 |
A3-2 | 39.0 | |||
A3-3 | 40.5 | |||
A4-1 | 1.0%-50 mm | 38.0 | 37.6 | 5.6 |
A4-2 | 37.9 | |||
A4-3 | 36.8 | |||
A5-1 | 1.5%-30 mm | 33.2 | 34.6 | −2.8 |
A5-2 | 34.5 | |||
A5-3 | 36.0 | |||
A6-1 | 1.5%-50 mm | 31.6 | 33.2 | −6.7 |
A6-2 | 33.0 | |||
A6-3 | 35.1 | |||
A7-1 | —— | 35.6 | 35.6 | — |
A7-2 | 36.0 | |||
A7-3 | 25.2 * |
Sample Number | Fiber Content and Length (%-mm) | Tensile Strength (MPa) | Effective Tensile Strength (MPa) | Strength Growth Rate (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|
A1-1 | 0.5%-30 mm | 2.16 | 2.20 | 15.2 |
A1-2 | 2.27 | |||
A1-3 | 2.16 | |||
A2-1 | 0.5%-50 mm | 2.00 | 2.04 | 6.8 |
A2-2 | 2.07 | |||
A2-3 | 2.47 | |||
A3-1 | 1.0%-30 mm | 2.71 | 2.48 | 29.8 |
A3-2 | 2.35 | |||
A3-3 | 2.37 | |||
A4-1 | 1.0%-50 mm | 2.23 | 2.20 | 15.2 |
A4-2 | 2.21 | |||
A4-3 | 2.15 | |||
A5-1 | 1.5%-30 mm | 2.30 | 2.24 | 17.3 |
A5-2 | 2.09 | |||
A5-3 | 2.34 | |||
A6-1 | 1.5%-50 mm | 1.98 | 1.94 | 1.6 |
A6-2 | 1.71 | |||
A6-3 | 2.14 | |||
A7-1 | —— | 1.91 | 1.91 | — |
A7-2 | 1.20 | |||
A7-3 | 2.19 |
Sample Number | Fiber Content and Length (%-mm) | Bending Strength (MPa) | Effective Bending Strength (MPa) | Strength Growth Rate (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|
A1-1 | 0.5%-30 mm | 3.19 | 3.39 | |
A1-2 | 3.68 | 27.9 | ||
A1-3 | 3.29 | |||
A2-1 | 0.5%-50 mm | 3.15 | 3.05 | |
A2-2 | 2.80 | 15.1 | ||
A2-3 | 3.21 | |||
A3-1 | 1.0%-30 mm | 3.94 | 3.83 | |
A3-2 | 3.87 | 44.5 | ||
A3-3 | 3.68 | |||
A4-1 | 1.0%-50 mm | 3.65 | 3.71 | |
A4-2 | 3.63 | 40 | ||
A4-3 | 3.85 | |||
A5-1 | 1.5%-30 mm | 3.43 | 3.54 | |
A5-2 | 3.42 | 33.6 | ||
A5-3 | 3.76 | |||
A6-1 | 1.5%-50 mm | 3.23 | 3.38 | |
A6-2 | 3.60 | 27.5 | ||
A6-3 | 3.31 | |||
A7-1 | —— | 2.75 | 2.65 | |
A7-2 | 2.84 | |||
A7-3 | 2.37 |
Sample Number | Fiber Content and Length (%-mm) | Compressive Strength (MPa) | Strain at Peak Stress | Strength Growth Rate (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|
A1 | 0.5%-30 mm | 30.74 | 0.0019 | 8.1 |
A2 | 0.5%-50 mm | 29.99 | 0.0016 | 5.3 |
A3 | 1.0%-30 mm | 32.66 | 0.002 | 14.7 |
A4 | 1.0%-50 mm | 31.15 | 0.0018 | 9.3 |
A5 | 1.5%-30 mm | 29.15 | 0.0017 | 2.4 |
A6 | 1.5%-50 mm | 28.44 | 0.0019 | −0.1 |
A7 | —— | 28.48 | 0.0013 | — |
A1 | A2 | A3 | A4 | A5 | A6 | A7 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
a | 2.10107 | 1.94614 | 2.11396 | 2.05696 | 2.45862 | 2.53379 | 1.50728 |
b | 0.80674 | 0.58838 | 0.62717 | 0.46748 | 0.52681 | 0.85210 | 2.51253 |
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Li, P.; Huang, M.; Shang, Y.; Kuang, Y.; Xiong, G.; Tang, X. Study on Mechanical Properties of Coarse-Fine Polypropylene Fiber Blended Concrete. Buildings 2025, 15, 2971. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15162971
Li P, Huang M, Shang Y, Kuang Y, Xiong G, Tang X. Study on Mechanical Properties of Coarse-Fine Polypropylene Fiber Blended Concrete. Buildings. 2025; 15(16):2971. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15162971
Chicago/Turabian StyleLi, Pengcheng, Mingyao Huang, Yingying Shang, Yanwen Kuang, Gang Xiong, and Xinyi Tang. 2025. "Study on Mechanical Properties of Coarse-Fine Polypropylene Fiber Blended Concrete" Buildings 15, no. 16: 2971. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15162971
APA StyleLi, P., Huang, M., Shang, Y., Kuang, Y., Xiong, G., & Tang, X. (2025). Study on Mechanical Properties of Coarse-Fine Polypropylene Fiber Blended Concrete. Buildings, 15(16), 2971. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15162971