Characteristics of Basalt Macro-Fiber Reinforced Recycled Aggregate Concrete

Shahrukh Shoaib, Tamer El-Maaddawy (), Hilal El-Hassan, Bilal El-Ariss and Marwa Alsalami
Additional contact information
Shahrukh Shoaib: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Al Ain Campus, College of Engineering, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates
Tamer El-Maaddawy: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Al Ain Campus, College of Engineering, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates
Hilal El-Hassan: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Al Ain Campus, College of Engineering, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates
Bilal El-Ariss: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Al Ain Campus, College of Engineering, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates
Marwa Alsalami: Studies, Research and Development Department, Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, Dubai P.O. Box 1828, United Arab Emirates

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 21, 1-23

Abstract: This study aims to examine the impact of using basalt macro-fibers (BMF) on characteristics of concrete made with recycled concrete aggregates (RCA). Test variables included the initial concrete grade (normal- and high-strength concrete (NSC and HSC)), RCA replacement percentage (30 and 60%), and BMF volume fraction (ν f = 0.5 to 1.5%). The compressive strength reduction in the plain concrete caused by RCA was sensitive to the RCA replacement percentage rather than the initial concrete grade. The splitting and flexural strength reductions of the plain HSC caused by RCA were more significant than those of their NSC counterparts. The use of BMF compromised the concrete workability. Such a detrimental effect increased with the BMF content and was more pronounced for the HSC with 60% RCA. Reinforcing of RCA-based concrete with BMF tended to improve the mechanical properties. In some instances, the use of BMF at ν f > 1% caused a decay in the strength gain. The addition of BMF to RCA-based concrete had a potential to fully restore the original splitting and flexural strengths of plain concrete mixtures made with natural aggregates (NA). The increase in the compressive strength of the RCA-based concrete caused by BMF was, however, not sufficient to fully restore the original strength of the NA-based plain concrete. The resistances to water penetration and abrasion of the RCA-based concrete improved by up to 17% and 47%, respectively, due to the addition of BMF. Idealized tensile softening laws were established for RCA-based concrete reinforced with BMF.

Keywords: basalt macro-fibers; concrete characteristics; recycled concrete aggregates; tensile softening; workability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:21:p:14267-:d:960132

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