MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF FIBRE
REINFORCED CONCRETE SUBJECTED
TO ELEVATED TEMPERATURE
R.C.Rajkiran1, D.Gunasekaran2, S.M.Mathana vigneshwar3, S.Maharaja4,
Email: 1rajkiran.raj07@gmail.com, 2dgsekar.sathish31@gmail.com, 3vigneshmathan1996@gmail.com ,
4
maha25081995@gmail.com
Kalasalingam academy of research and education, KALASALINGAM UNIVERSITY, Krishnankoil-626 126
ABSTRACT: The effect of high temperature on the
fracture property of hardened concretes which are
reinforced with steel and polypropylene fibers have been
investigated within the scope of this study. Test results
shows that higher temperature results in diminishing
strength in both the fibers but with a variation in the
maximum temperature. Steel fibre reinforced concrete
and polypropylene fibre reinforced concrete is a
cementitious material reinforced with a given content of
discrete fibres. The better mechanical property makes
these fibers important in building construction and has
increased usage mainly because of its energy absorption
capacity. The energy required to pull out the fibres from
the cracked concrete is more than the energy required to
crack the concrete matrix. Therefore, the energy
absorption capacity is the main material property
benefited by fibre reinforcements. But this energy
absorption property holds good only up to a certain
temperature. This factor was analyzed in the present work
in order to assess the optimum temperature up to which
the strength of the concrete fibers would be maximum.
Key words: steel fibre, polypropylene fibre, compressive
strength, high temperature.
1. INTRODUCTION
In Present days the use of high strength concrete is
increased drastically and this is made possible with
the help of reinforcements like steel fibres,
polypropylene fibres, geopolymers etc.
These reinforcements have a direct increase in the
strength of the concrete matrix. When these fibre
reinforced concretes are subjected to high
temperatures they will not behave as usual. The
behavior of concrete at elevated temperatures
depends on length of exposure, rate of temperature
rise, degree of water saturation of the concrete, age
of the concrete, type of aggregate used, type of
cement used, aggregate/ cement ratio. In this study
the change in the properties of fibre reinforced
concrete under different temperatures and also the
maximum temperature till the concrete can withstand
is discussed.
Concrete appears to sustain no appreciable damage
when exposed to temperatures up to 400 degrees
Fahrenheit. If temperatures above 400 °F are to be
experienced, it is wise to investigate the exposure
conditions and the concrete which will be employed.
To get some idea of a typical succession of effects as
temperature rises, our laboratory study is conducted
with two different concrete mixes with steel fibres
and polypropylene fibres. The concrete cubes are
placed in oven and heated for an hour with varying
temperatures from 100 °C to 800 °C, and the cubes
are tested for compressive strength and the graph
between temperature and strength could tell the
maximum temperature the concrete could withstand.
  Minimizing thermal cracking.
2. METHODOLOGY
 Improved spalling resistance.
2.1. Materials Used:
In this study we have used polypropylene fibres and
steel fibres as reinforcing materials to the concrete
matrix. The cement we used is ordinary Portland
cement of 53 grade

2.2. Physical properties of Materials:

2.2.1. Cement:
OPC 53 grade cement is used, conforming to IS
12269-1987. Cement specific gravity is found to be
3.15 using pyconometer. Using Vicat apparatus
consistency, initial and final setting time is found
which 32%, 30 and 260 minutes respectively are.
2.2.2. Fine and Coarse aggregate: Figure 1: Polypropylene fibre
The river sand and crushed stones is used as fine
aggregate and coarse aggregates respectively. With
the sieve size of 2.36 microns the fine aggregates are 2.2.4. Steel fibres:
sieved whereas coarse aggregate in 12mm sieve. The Steel fibre is made up of steel and has a density of
specific gravity with the help of pyconometer is 7900 kg/cum. The diameter of the steel fibre used is
found for both fine and coarse aggregates which are about 0.60 mm which is a hook end fibre. Length of
2.65 and 2.70 respectively. this fibre used is 35 mm and hence the aspect ratio
(L/D) is 55. The weight of steel fibre used is 1% to
the total volume of the concrete mix.
2.2.3. Water and Admixture:
A good quality of water is used and the water/cement
The advantages of steel fibre reinforcement:
ratio used is 0.35. Since low w/c ratio is used 1%
hyper plasticizer is used as admixture. The mix ratio  High performance and improved crack resistance
as per design is 1:1.4:2.3.
 Multidirectional reinforcement.
2.2.4. Polypropylene fibres:  Less labor and less construction time required.
Polypropylene is a synthetic hydrocarbon polymer;
 Steel fibres reduce the permeability and water
the fibre is made using extrusion processes by hot
drawing the material through the die. The pp fibre migration in concrete
length is 30 mm and 0.5 mm diameter; hence aspect
ratio will be 60. The density of the polypropylene
fibre used is 900 kg/cum. As the fibre has low
specific gravity its weight is 0.15% of the total
weight of concrete used.

The advantages of polypropylene fibres:

 Increase in tensile and flexural strength.
Figure 2: Round hooked end fibre
 Reduction in plastic shrinkage cracking.

3.EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
The mix design is based on the concept of conceptual
mix design and the mix ratio is determined as
1:1.4:2.3 with 0.35 w/c ratio. The materials are
collected as per the ratio. Then for steel fibre cube
casting 1% the weight of the concrete mix is weighed
and is mixed with the cement and aggregates whereas
for polypropylene fibres 0.15% of the weight of the
concrete mixture is used. Then the concrete is then
Figure 3: Casted Polypropylene fibre cube
Figure 5: steel fibre cube after testing
casted in 100 mm x 100 mm x 100 mm cubes.
Allowing for setting of concrete for a day the cubes
are demoulded and are kept in curing water for 28
days. On the 28th day the cubes are taken out of the
curing tank and are made to dry. After an hour the
weight of the air dried cube sample is noted and is
then kept inside a muffle furnace with temperature
set to 100°C for an hour. Then the furnace is
switched off and the sample is left inside the furnace
undisturbed for 24 hours. Next day the cube is then
tested to determine the compressive strength. The
same is repeated for different temperatures of
200°C, 300°C, till 800°C and the respective
compressive strength of the cube are found.
Figure 4: Cube in heated Muffle furnace
Figure 6: polypropylene fibre cube after testing
Table 1: Compressive strength at different temperatures

STEEL FIBRES POLYPROPYLENE COMPRESSIVE

TEMP FIBRES STRENGTH
(°C) Weight before Weight after Weight before Weight after Steel fibre Polypropylene
heating heating heating heating (MPa) fibre
(grams) (grams) (grams) (grams) (MPa)
100 2541.5 2508 2531 2499 29 31.1
200 2495.5 2398 2512.5 2476 35.8 43.9
300 2466.5 2353.5 2557.5 2459 48.2 57.7
400 2505.5 2390.5 2584 2465.5 63.4 44.3
500 2561 2430 2470 2355 37.5 37.7
600 2543 2406 2652 2521 30.5 29
700 2534 2395 2610 2505 25.6 31.2
800 2472 2302 2562 2447 23.3 29.8

COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH
70
COMPRSSIVE STRENGTH(MPa)

60
50
40
30 steel fibre
20
polypropylene fibre
10
0
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800
Temperature (◦C)

Figure 7: Compressive strength of fibres at different temperatures

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Tabulation for decrease in compressive strength and
percentage loss in weight are calculated and
respective graphs are plotted. From figure 3 it is clear
that the strength of steel fibre is maximum at 400 °C
and for polypropylene fibre is at 300 °C. So the
percentage loss in the compressive strength of the
fibres are calculated beyond the maximum
temperatures of the respective fibres and is plotted.
The percentage loss in weight is taken as ordinate and
temperature in abscissa and weight loss is plotted for
both the fibres.
 Table 2: Percentage loss in weights

TEMPERATURE (°C) STEEL FIBRES POLYPROPYLENE FIBRES

100 1.32 1.26

200 3.91 1.45

300 4.58 3.85

400 4.59 4.59

500 5.12 4.66

600 5.39 4.94

700 5.49 4.02

800 6.88 4.49

2600
STEEL
2550 2700 POLYPROPYLENE
2650
2500
2600
WEIGHT (Grams)

2450
WEIGHT(Grams)

2550
2400 2500
2350 2450
2300 2400
2350
2250
2300
2200
2250
2150 2200
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800
TEMPERATURE °C Before heating TEMPERATURE °C Before heating
After heating After heating

Figure 8: Weight of steel fibre before and after Figure 9: Weight of polypropylene fibre before
heating and after heating
 8.00

7.00
Percentage Loss in Weight

6.00

5.00

4.00
steel fibre
3.00
polypropylene fibre
2.00

1.00

0.00
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800
Temperature °C

Figure 6: Percentage loss of weight in fibres

Table 3: Percentage loss in compressive strengths

TEMPERATURE (°C) STEEL FIBRES POLYPROPYLENE FIBRES

100 0 0

200 0 0

300 0 0

400 0 23.22

500 40.85 34.66

600 51.89 49.74

700 59.62 45.93

800 63.25 48.35

 70
Percentage loss in Compressive Strength

60

50

40
steel fibre
30
polypropylene fibre

20

10

0
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800
Temperature ° C

Figure 6: Percentage loss of compressive strength in fibres

CONCLUSIONS:
5. The percentage loss of the compressive
From the results and discussions the following
strength (figure 6) clearly proves that even
conclusions are made regarding behavior of fibre
though the polypropylene fibres starts to
reinforced concrete at elevated temperatures.
melt before the steel fibres its fracture
1. The steel fibre should not be used in places properties is good than that of steel fibres at
above 400°C as it started to decrease in higher temperatures.
strength after the optimum temperature.
2. For the polypropylene fibres the maximum
allowable temperature for good functioning
is about 300°C.
3. From figure 6 it is inferred that the
polypropylene fibre melts but they fills up
the voids so that the weight loss is less when
compared to steel fibres.
4. From table 1 it is clear that the compressive
strength of polypropylene fibre is more than
that of the steel fibres in most of the cases.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We express our sincere thanks to our chancellor
Dr. K. Sridharan, for all the facilities provided by
him for completion of this project work.
We would like to express our gratitude to our
Director Dr. S.Sasi anand, for his kind cooperation
in this study.
Our sincere thanks to the Head of our
Department Dr.M.Muthkannan, without him this
project could not have been this much successful; he
also encouraged and guided us throughout our
experimental study.
[7] W. Khaliq, “Performance characterization of high
performance concretes under fire conditions (Ph.D.
thesis), Michigan State University, 2012
[8] T.T. Lie and V.R. Kodur,”Thermal properties of
fibre reinforced concrete at elevated temperatures”,
IR 683, IRC, National Research Council of Canada,
Ottawa, Canada,1995.

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Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering
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Polypropylene Fiber Reinforced Concrete” , 31st
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the Compressive Strength of Concrete”, Magazine
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[4] Farhad Aslani, Bijan Samali, “Constitutive

relationships for steel fibre concrete at elevated
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[5] A. Noumowe, “Mechanical properties and

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[6] P.H. Petersen, “Resistance to High Temperature”,

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