Influence of Fly Ash on the Properties of Self-Compacting Fiber Reinforced Concrete
Self-compacting concrete (SCC) has high flowability and high resistance to segregation and bleeding. These characteristics facilitate the mixing, casting and finishing of SCC without using compacting or vibrating machines. Adding mineral admixtures, such as fly ash (FA), and superplasticizers improves SCC properties by preventing segregation and bleeding and by increasing rheological parameters. SCC requires high flowability under the influence of self-weight to completely fill all mold parts for full compaction. This investigation discusses the results of experimental tests on the properties of SCC and self-compacting fiber reinforced concrete (SCFRC) mixtures with the inclusion of polypropylene fibers (PFs) and containing FA at replacement rates of 0%, 20%, 40%, and 60 % cement mass. The compressive, flexural, and split tensile strengths of the prepared concrete samples were investigated at ages of 7, 14, 28, and 90 days. The workability of fresh concrete mixtures was also studied through segregation, bleeding, slump flow, slump flow T50, L-box V-funnel T5, and V-funnel tests. Results showed that the best properties of fresh SCCs were obtained when FA was added at replacement rates of 20% and 40% cement mass. In addition, the inclusion of PFs at a volumetric ratio of 0.22% decreased segregation and bleeding and improved the flexural and tensile strengths of SCFRCs.
