Abstract
The purpose of the paper is to provide independent research and evaluate manufacturers’ claims that structural polypropylene fibres provide satisfactory crack control reinforcement and compare the test results from macro synthetic polypropylene fibres against steel fabric reinforced concrete, extensively used as a crack control medium in concrete ground bearing floor/hardstanding slabs where tensile forces are likely to occur. Three concrete beam types were produced, plain, steel reinforced and fibre reinforced, and a comparative study was undertaken of post crack flexural toughness. The procedure used was to manufacture steel A 142 fabric and macro fibre reinforced concrete beams to provide load, deflection data, toughness indices and was compliant with, ASTM C1018 -97, [ASTM, 1997] using a three point loading arrangement. The data was representative of what might occur in a floor slab. The findings of the paper is that A1 42 steel fabric reinforcement as used in slabs was more effective in producing toughness and residual strength when directly compared to the performance of structural polypropylene fibre reinforced concrete. When small post crack forces are encountered within the concrete matrix, polypropylene macro fibres are suitable for crack control. The paper makes direct comparisons between known and widely used crack control using steel fabric, and the use of low modulus polypropylene macro synthetic fibres as a crack control medium.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 25-36 |
Journal | Northumbria Working Paper Series: Interdisciplinary Studies in the Built and Virtual Environment |
Volume | 1 |
Issue number | 1 |
Publication status | Published - Jan 2008 |