Assessment of microstructural and mechanical properties of hybrid fibrous self-consolidating concretes using ingredients of plastic wastes

Abstract

This paper focuses on the experimental investigation carried out on self-consolidating concrete (SCC) reinforced with micro-steel fibre and hybrid fibres (combination of micro-steel fibre and recycled high density polyethylene fibre derived from municipal wastes). The physical properties of fresh and hardened concrete including flowability, setting time and durability, the mechanical properties, namely, compressive strength and flexural strength, and microstructural analysis were studied. Micro-steel fibre addition was seen to enhance the flowability of concrete than the non-fibrous and hybrid fibre reinforced concretes. The setting time of SCC mixtures prolonged with the addition of fibres into concrete mixtures. Hybrid fibre reinforced SCC mixtures have displayed reduction in drying shrinkage. The compressive and flexural strengths of the fibre reinforced concretes show a marginal reduction in strength when compared with the strength of unreinforced concrete. The results of the microstructure analysis clearly demonstrate that the hybrid fibres bond well with the cement matrix and stronger than the bonding between micro-steel fibres and cement matrix.