Influence of Heat–Cool Cyclic Exposure on the Performance of Fiber-Reinforced High-Strength Concrete

Ibrahim Hakeem (), Md. Akter Hosen, Mana Alyami, Shaker Qaidi () and Yasin Özkılıc
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Ibrahim Hakeem: Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, Najran University, Najran 55461, Saudi Arabia
Md. Akter Hosen: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Dhofar University, Salalah 211, Oman
Mana Alyami: Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, Najran University, Najran 55461, Saudi Arabia
Shaker Qaidi: Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Duhok, Duhok 42001, Iraq
Yasin Özkılıc: Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya 42000, Turkey

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 2, 1-24

Abstract: Sometimes civil engineering infrastructures have been constructed in hot and cold weathering regions such as desert areas. In such situations, the concrete is not only smashed by hot and cold processes but also spoiled by shrinkage cracking. Therefore, this study intends to examine the influence of heat–cool cycles on high-strength concrete comprising various fibers, such as natural date palm, polypropylene, and steel fibers, and their different volume percentages. The most popular technique for improving the structural behavior of concrete is fiber insertion. Fibers decrease cracking occurrences, enhance early strength under impact loads, and increase a structure’s ability to absorb additional energy. The main goal is to examine the effects of three different types of fibers on regular concrete exposed to heat–cool cycles. For each type of fiber, three dosages of 0.2%, 0.6%, and 1% were used to create high-strength concrete. After 28 days of regular water curing and six months of exposure to heat-and-cold cycles, all specimens were tested. The heat–cool cycles entailed heating for two days at 60 °C in the oven and cooling for another two days at room temperature. The results of the experiment showed that fiber reinforcement in concrete improves its strength and durability. The flexural strength was substantially improved by increasing the date palm, polypropylene, and steel fibers into the high-strength concrete with and without heat–cool cycles. Adding increments of date palm, polypropylene, and steel fibers into high-strength concrete revealed a significant improvement in energy absorption capacity in both cases, i.e., with or without the implementation of heat–cool cycles. Therefore, the natural date palm fibers might be utilized to produce sustainable fibrous high-strength concrete and be applicable in severe weathering conditions.

Keywords: fibrous concrete; date palm fiber; engineering characteristics; durability; thermal cycles; energy absorption capacity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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