Effect of Polypropylene Fibers on the Long-term Tensile Strength of Concrete

The influence of low volume fraction of polypropylene（PP） fibers on the tensile properties of normal and high strength concretes was studied. The experimental results indicate that the addition of PP fibers in concrete leads to a reduction in tensile strength during the age of 28 d. Whereas, after 28 days, there is a notable effect in tensile strength due to PP fibers restraining the formation and growth of microcracks in concrete, which improves the continuity and integrality of concrete structure, Thus, a low volume fraction of PP fibers is beneficial to enhancing the long-term tensile strength of concrete materials and improving the durability of concrete structures.

Shear strength of clayey sand treated by nanoclay mixed with recycled polyester fiber

The main objective of this study is to investigate the effects of the nanoclay mixed with recycled polyester fiber on the mechanical behavior of soil as a new stabilizer material.To meet this objective,a series of drained direct shear and compaction tests were performed on unreinforced and reinforced soil specimens with three different combinations of the fiber-soil ratios ranging between 0.1%and 0.5%,as well as three different combinations of nanoclay soil ratios ranging between 0.5%and 1.5%of the soil dry weight.Results indicated that composition of the nanoclay recycled polyester fiber with the soil improved the friction angle(Φ)by 41%and cohesion(c)by 174%.The soil particles stick together through viscose gel produced by nanoclay.In addition,the rough and wavy surface of the fibers creates a bond and friction between the soil particles and prevents the movement of soil particles,and as a result,the soil strength is increased.

CT Image-based Analysis on the Defect of Polypropylene Fiber Reinforced High-Strength Concrete at High Temperatures

With the application of X-ray computed tomography（CT） technology of C80 high-strength concrete with polypropylene fiber at elevated temperatures, the microscopic damage evolution process observation and image building could be obtained, based on the statistics theory and numerical analysis of the combination of concrete internal defects extension and evolution regularity of microscopic structure. The expermental results show that the defect rate has changed at different temperatures and can determine the concrete degradation threshold temperatures. Also, data analysis can help to establish the evolution equation between the defect rate and the effect of temperature damage, and identify that the addition of polypropylene fibers in the high strength concrete at high temperature can improve cracking resistance.

Effect of polypropylene fiber and coarse aggregate on the ductility and fluidity of cemented tailings backfill

Adding polypropylene(PP)fibers and coarse aggregates has become a popular way to enhance the strength and stability of the cemented tailings backfilling(CTB)body.It is essential to explore the influence of tailings-aggregate ratio and fiber content on the mechanical properties of CTB samples.The comprehensive tests of the unconfined compressive strength(UCS),slump and microstructure were designed,and the regression models were established to characterize the effect of the strength,ductility and fluidity.The results indicate that the tailings-aggregate ratio of 5:5 and PP fiber content of 0.5 kg/m^(3) are the optimum point considering the UCS,cracking strain,peak strain and post-peak ductility.The tailings-aggregate ratio is consistent with the unary quadratic to the UCS and a linear model with a negative slope to the slump.Microstructural analysis indicates that PP fiber tends to bridge the cracks and rod-mill sand to serve as the skeleton of the paste matrix,which can enhance the compactness and improve the ductility of the CTB.The results presented here are of great significance to the understanding and application of coarse aggregates and fibers to improve the mechanical properties of CTB.

Preparation and Properties of Alkali Activated Foam Cement Reinforced with Polypropylene Fibers

A new form of foam cement was produced by mixing alkali-activated slag,clay,a small amount of polypropylene fibers with prepared foam during stirring.The preparation of the material is quite different from the normal one,which is produced just at room temperature and without baking.The fabrication of this energy-saving and low-price material can be favorable for lowering carbon emission by using recycled industrial wastes.Thermal conductivity of 0.116 W/（m·k）,compressive strength of 3.30 MPa,flexural strength of 0.8 MPa and density of 453 kg/m3 can be achieved after 28 days aging.The hydration product is C-S-H with less Ca（OH）2,calcium aluminum and zeolite,which was characterized by X-ray diffraction（XRD） measurement.This prospective foam cement may be expected to be an excellent economical energy-saving building material.

Mechanical Properties of Polypropylene Fiber Reinforced Concrete under Elevated Temperature

Apart from many advantages,High Strength Concrete(HSC)has disadvantages in terms of brittleness and poor resistance to fire.Various studies suggest that when polypropylene(PP)fibers are uniformly distributed within concrete,they play an active role in improving spalling resistance of concrete when exposed to elevated temperature while having no adverse effect on its mechanical properties.Therefore,there is a necessity to quantify the effect of the addition of polypropylene fibers in terms of the fiber dosage,the strength of the concrete,and the residual mechanical properties of fiber-reinforced concrete under exposure to high temperature from fire.The study was carried out on three water/cement(w/c)ratios(0.47,0.36&0.20)using granite aggregate for determining short term mechanical properties of Polypropylene fiber reinforced concrete in comparison to control mix.The experimental program includes 100×200 mm&150 x 300 mm cylinders with fiber volume of 0.5%,that were subjected to temperatures exposures of 400°C and 600°C for durations of 1 hour.From the results,it was observed that no significant enhancement in mechanical properties such as modulus of elasticity,Poisson’s ratio,split tensile strength,flexural strength,and compressive strength was observed at room temperature and at elevated temperatures.

Influence of Fiber Properties and Processing Parameters on Properties of Highloft Nonwoven Bonded by Bicomponent Polyester Fibers

Highloft nonwoven was produced by heat bonding of bicomponent polyester fibers. The effect of fiber properties and processing parameters on the mechanical properties of the nonwoven was investigated. The heat bonding processing parameters for the nonwoven were optimized. The results show that the range of processing temperature is wider while the shell melting point of the bicomponent fibers (Tm1) is lower. The best processing temperature is about 15℃ higher than Tm1 while the shell melting point (Tm1) is higher.

Optimizing the compressive strength of concrete containing micro-silica, nano-silica, and polypropylene fibers using extreme vertices mixture design

Many studies have evaluated the effects of additives such as nano-silica (NS), micro-silica (MS) and polymer fibers on optimizing the mechanical properties of concrete, such as compressive strength. Nowadays, with progress in cement industry provides, it has become possible to produce cement type I with strength classes of 32.5, 42.5, and 52.5 MPa. On the one hand, the microstructure of cement has changed, and modified by NS, MS, and polymers;therefore it is very important to determine the optimal percentage of each additives for those CSCs. In this study, 12 mix designs containing different percentages of MS, NS, and polymer fibers in three cement strength classes(CSCs)(32.5, 42.5, and 52.5 MPa) were designed and constructed based on the mixture method. Results indicated the sensitivity of each CSCs can be different on the NS or MS in compressive strength of concrete. Consequently, strength classes have a significant effect on the amount of MS and NS in mix design of concrete. While, polymer fibers don’t have significant effect in compressive strength considering CSCs.

Thermal conductivity and bending strength of SiC composites reinforced by pitch-based carbon fibers

In this work,pitch-based carbon fibers were utilized to reinforce silicon carbide(SiC)composites via reaction melting infiltration(RMI)method by controlling the reaction temperature and resin carbon content.Thermal conductivities and bending strengths of composites obtained under different preparation conditions were characterized by various analytical methods.Results showed the formation of SiC whiskers(SiC_(w))during RMI process according to vapor–solid(VS)mechanism.SiC_(w) played an important role in toughening the C_(pf)/SiC composites due to crack bridging,crack deflection,and SiC_(w) pull-out.Increase in reaction temperature during RMI process led to an initial increase in thermal conductivity along in-plane and thickness directions of composites,followed by a decline.At reaction temperature of 1600℃,thermal conductivities along the in-plane and thickness directions were estimated to be 203.00 and 39.59 W/(m×K),respectively.Under these conditions,bending strength was recorded as 186.15±3.95 MPa.Increase in resin carbon content before RMI process led to the generation of more SiC matrix.Thermal conductivities along in-plane and thickness directions remained stable with desirable values of 175.79 and 38.86 W/(m×K),respectively.By comparison,optimal bending strength improved to 244.62±3.07 MPa.In sum,these findings look promising for future application of pitch-based carbon fibers for reinforcement of SiC ceramic composites.

Morphology and Thermal Behavior of Polypropylene/Easily Hydrodegraded Polyester Blend Fibers

Ultrafine polypropylene fibers are prepared frompolypropylene/easily hydro - degraded polyester （PP/EHDPET） blend fibers, in which file EHDPET compo-nent is degradable by treating with NaOH - H2O solu-tion. We investigated the morphology of PP/EHDPETblend fibers before and after stretching and alkalinehydrolysis. Then thermal behavior of the blend has alsobeen studied.

Improving the Unconfined Compressive Strength of Red Clay by Combining Biopolymers with Fibers

To explore an environmentally friendly improvement measure for red clay,the function and mechanism of xanthan gum biopolymer and polypropylene fibers on the strength properties of red clay were investigated by unconfined compressive strength and scanning electron microscopy tests.The test results demonstrated that the contents and curing ages of xanthan gum had significant influences on the unconfined compressive strength of red clay.Compared with untreated soil,1.5%xanthan gum content was the optimal ratio in which the strength increment was between 41.52 kPa and 64.73 kPa.On the other hand,the strength of xanthan gum-treated red clay increased,whereas the ductility decreased with the increase in curing ages,indicating that the xanthan gum-treated red clay started to gradually consolidate after 3 days of curing and stiffness significantly improved between 7 and 28 days of curing.The results also showed that the synergistic consolidation effects of the xanthan gum–polypropylene fibers could not only effectively enhance the strength of red clay but also reduce the brittle failure phenomenon.The strengths of soil treated with 2.0%xanthan gum-polypropylene fibers were 1.9–2.41 and 1.12–1.47 times than that of red clay and 1.5%xanthan gum-treated clay,respectively.The results of study provide the related methods and experiences for the field of ecological soil treatment.

The effect of carbon nanotubes and polypropylene fibers on bond of reinforcing bars in strain resilient cementitious composites

Stress transfer between reinforcing bars and concrete is engaged through rib translation relative to concrete, and comprises longitudinal bond stresses and radial pressure. The radial pressure is equilibrated by hoop tension undertaken by the concrete cover. Owing to concrete＇s poor tensile properties in terms of strength and deformability, the equilibrium is instantly released upon radial cracking of the cover along the anchorage with commensurate abrupt loss of the bond strength. Any improvement of the matrix tensile properties is expected to favorably affect bond in terms of strength, resilience to pullout slip, residual resistance and controlled slippage.The aim of this paper is to investigate the local bond of steel bars developed in adverse tensile stress conditions in the concrete cover. In the tests, the matrix comprises a novel, strain resilient cementitious composite （SRCC） reinforced with polypropylene fibers （PP） with the synergistic action of carbon nano-tubes （CNT）. Local bond is developed over a short anchorage length occurring in the constant moment region of a four-point bending short beam. Parameters of investigation were the material structure （comprising a basic control mix, reinforced with CNTs and/or PP fibers） and the age of testing. Accompanying tests used to characterize the cementitious material were also conducted. The test results illustrate that all the benefits gained due to the synergy between PP fibers and CNTs in the matrix, namely the maintenance of the multi-cracking effect with time, the increased strength and deformability as well as the highly increased material toughness, were imparted in the recorded bond response. The local bond response curves thus obtained were marked by a resilient appearance exhibiting sustained strength up to large levels of controlled bar-slip; the elasto-plastic bond response envelope was a result of the confining synergistic effect of CNTs and the PP fibers, and it occurred even without bar yielding.

Reinforcing effects of modified Kevlar~ fiber on the mechanical properties of wood-flour/polypropylene composites

Kevlar fiber （KF） is a synthesized product with strong mechanical properties. We used KF as a reinforcement to improve the mechanical properties of wood-flour/polypropylene （WF/PP） composites. KF was pretreated with NaOH to improve its compatibility with the thermoplastic matrix. Maleated polypropylene （MAPP） was used as a coupling agent to improve the interfacial adhesion between KF, WF, and PP. Incorporation of KF improved the mechanical properties of WF/PP composites. Treatment of KF with NaOH resulted in further improvement in mechanical strength. Addition of 3% MAPP and 2% hydrolyzed KF （HKF） led to an increment of 93.8% in unnotched impact strength, 17.7% in notched impact strength, 86.8% in flexure strength, 50.8% in flexure modulus, and 94.1% in tensile strength compared to traditional WF/PP composites. Scanning electron microscopy of the cryo-fractured section of WF/PP showed that the HKF surface was rougher than the virgin KF, and the KF was randomly distributed in the composites, which might cause a mechanical interlocking between KF and polypropylene molecules in the composites.

Flexural behavior of hybrid fiber reinforced high performance concrete deep beam

In order to reveal the flexural behavior of hybrid fiber reinforced high-performance concrete deep beam, 16 high-performance concrete deep beams of different fiber volume content have been tested according to the state standards and testing methods. The effects of hybrid fiber on the yield moment and bending bearing capacity of the cross-section have been analyzed, the calculation method for the bending capacity＇ is discussed and the propositional formula are provided as well. Results shoxv that the flexural properties increased obviously when add ≤1.0% of volume content steel fibers and ≤0.11% of volume content polypropylene fibers in to deep beam. The results are useful to the further amendments of fiber reinforced concrete structure technical regulation （CECS 38：2004）.

Tekcrete Fast~: Fiber-reinforced, rapid-setting sprayed concrete for rib and surface control

Fiber-reinforced spayed concrete has been used for several years in civil and tunneling operations.Research conducted to reduce cure times and increase compressive and flexural strengths resulted in the development of Tekcrete Fast~, a cementitious product capable of obtaining 41 MPa compressive strength and 8 MPa flexural strength in only 3 h and reaching 7 d strengths of 62 and 11.7 MPa, respectively.A single bag product that uses conventional shotcrete and gunite application systems makes it a natural crossover product for mining applications.The discovery of incredible adhesion properties and high resistance to chloride permeability helps ensure long-term stability and increases the ease of application.Project results from Disaster City~ in Texas and the application for rehabilitating a coal mine belt entry are presented.The case study illustrates the effectiveness of the product in stabilizing a coal mine beltway and adjacent cross-cuts that were subjected to progressive sloughage due to humidity and cyclical loading.

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF FIBER UTILIZATION ON MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF RECYCLED AGGREGATE CONCRETE CONTAINING SILICA FUME

The use of recycled aggregate(RA)instead of natural aggregate(NA)in concrete is necessary for environmental protection and the effective utilization of resources.The addition of recycled aggregates in concrete increases shrinkage,porosity and decreases the mechanical properties compared to that of normal concrete.This study was aimed at investigating how the addition of various proportions of polypropylene and steel fiber affect the mechanical properties of recycled aggregate concrete(RAC).The natural coarse aggregates(NCAs)used in the production of normal concrete(NC)were replaced in 30%and 50%proportions by recycled coarse aggregates(RCAs)obtained from the demolished buildings.In this case,a polypropylene fiber(PF)content of 0.1%and steel fiber(SF)1%and 2%volume fractions were used,along with hybrid fibers-a combination of the two.While the material performance of RAC compared to NC is analyzed by reviewing existing published literature,it is not evident what the use of RCAs and hybrid fibers have on the mechanical properties of concrete.The results showed that the compressive strength,flexural strength and impcat resistance of RAC were reduced as the percentage of RCAs increased.It was observed that the compressive strength was increased with the addition of 1%steel fiber in the RAC.The flexural and impact performance of steel fiber-reinforced concrete(Specimens NC and RAC)was increased as the volume fractions of steel fiber increased.The hybrid fiber reinforced concretes showed the best results in their mechanical performance of all the concrete groups.

Effects of heat treatment on mechanical properties and microstructure of tungsten fiber reinforced grey cast iron matrix composites

In this study,grey cast iron matrix composites reinforced by different volume fractions of tungsten fibers(Vr=0.95%,1.90%,2.85%,3.80%)were investigated in as-cast and under the heat treatment temperatures of 1,000℃and 1,100℃.The microstructure and mechanical properties of the composites were analyzed and tested by means of SEM,micro-hardness tester and three-point bend testing.The results show that with increasing of the volume fraction of tungsten fibers,the composites reinforced by the tungsten fiber have higher flexural strength and modulus than that of cast iron without reinforcement,and the flexural strength increases with the increasing of heat treatment temperatures.Due to diffusion reaction between matrix and reinforcing phases,the process of heat treatment,the number of graphite flakes in the matrix seemingly becomes lower;and some hard carbide particles are formed around the residual tungsten fibers.Not only does the hardness of both matrix and reinforcement change tremendously,but also the region of reinforcement is also extended from the original 0.11 mm to 0.19 mm in radius.

Experimental Study for Improving the Toughness of Harden Cement Using Carbon Fiber

Many measures, such as water injection, acid fracturing, thermal recovery, have been taken in the oilfield development. These can easily induce brittle fracture of set cement. Most of all, there are greater potential for fractures in set cement in slim holes. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the toughness of the cement mantle. Results obtained from experiments show that carbon fiber, with a concentration of 0.12%-0.19% in cement and a length of 700 to 1,400μm, plays an important role in improving cement quality. Addition of carbon fiber can improve the bending strength of set cement by up to 30%. At the same time, the increase in fiber concentration can lower the elastic modulus and increase the Poisson＇s ratio of set cement. Thin-section analysis shows that fiber can effectively prevent the propagation of fractures and enhance the plasticity of the matrix and the ability to prevent fracture.

Prestress Design of Stainless Steel Fibers/Zirconia Composite by Tape Casting

Prestressed SUS316 fibers/ZrO2 composite was fabricated using tape casting. Causes of cracks were analyzed by classical thermo-elastic theory and finite element method in preparation process. An optimization design was carried out on SUS316 fibers’ arrangement modes by reducing residual thermal stress. Interface topography and element distribution of composite were observed, and bending strengths were tested. Results show that cracks are generated along the direction vertical to SUS316 fibers by axial thermal stress due to different thermal expansion coefficients between SUS316 fibers and zirconia, and the average cracking space is 2 mm. No macroscopic defect is found in composite with SUS316 fibers of sine distribution, and it has better interfacial binding force since interdiffusion between SUS316 and zirconia. Bending strengths of composite with 0°/0°lamination are anisotropic and that are 385.74 MPa and 500.7 MPa respectively, but that with 0°/90°lamination is isotropic and it is 433.92 MPa. Bending strength of composite is increased obviously compared with that of zirconia because the prestress of surface is compressive stress.

Alkaline Hydrolysis of PP/EHDPET Blend Fibers

Polypropylene superfine fibers or cell porous fibers were prepared from the bi-component blend fibers of polypropylene/easlly hydro-degraded polyester(PP/EHDPET)by alkaline hydrolysis process. EHDPET is a kind of copolyester that can be rapidly hydro-degraded in the hot alkaline solution. This paper discussed the kinetics of alkaline hydrolysis of EHDPET, and the effect of catalyst, bulk ratio and the content of polypropylene grafted maleic anhydride (PP-g-MAH) on the alkaline hydrolysis process. Meanwhile, the morphological change of the outer surface of blend fibers during this process was also investigated by the technology of scanning electron microscope (SEM).