Influences of Fibre on Strength and Permeability in Poor Fines

High Strength Concrete

ABSTRACT RESULTS & DISCUSSIONS

Fibre shows remarkable effects in enhancing the performance of high strength concrete (HSC). However, the past re-
search showed inconsistent and confusing results and therefore it diminished the confidence level of the practitioners in the
construction industry in such applications. The properties of the fibre and its sensitivity in the variations of contents towards its
performance must be identified. This study explored the influences three types of fibres from different category, i.e. Barchip
fibre (BF), coconut fibre (CF) and glass fibre (GF) in poor fines HSC. The important parameters which examined in the experi-
ment were compressive strength and permeability. Statistical analysis (line plot of mean) was employed to study the influences
of each type of fibre and indentified the sensitivity in variations of fibre content towards their achievements. The experiment
results indicate that fibre has more significant effects in increasing the flexural strength of HSC than compressive strength.
However, the permeability of HSC is increased by incorporation by short discrete fibres. This is not a good sign to the durabil-
ity properties of concrete. The BF specimen has achieved the highest compressive strength while intrinsic permeability was
comparable to that of the GF specimens. Variation of coconut fibre content in HSC is not sensitive in affecting compressive
strength performance. The same situation happened to BF and GF in permeability parameter. In short, BF appears to be the best
choice to incorporate into HSC for better performance.
Figure 1 illustrates that the highest average compressive strength of 79.07 MPa was registered by HSC reinforced by
1.8% of Barchip fibre. The high quality of the fibre with very high tensile strength (640 MPa) enhanced the toughness of the
concrete matrix. In addition, the fibre was also designed specifically to have contour surface in order to optimize the reinforcing
effects in the concrete matrix. The plain HSC which attained compressive strength of 71.97 MPa is plotted as reference line in
figure for comparison purpose. It clearly illustrates that coconut fibres exhibit encouraging effects in enhancing compressive
strength of HSC. The similar situation also happens to glass fibre but only at higher fibre content. The steady decreasing trend
from 0.6% to 2.4% shows by CF series specimens indicate that the compressive strength is not greatly affected by variation of
fibre content compared to that of the BF and GF series. There is only 1.4% of drop in the compressive strength even though the
fibre content increases in multiple folds.
Line Plot of Mean of Compressive Strengths at 28 Days
80 Mix
BF
CF
GF
Normal

Compressive Strength (MPa)

75

71.97

INTRODUCTION 70

65

60
American Concrete Institute (ACI) Committee had defined that high strength concrete (HSC) is the concrete that can achieve 0.0 0.6 1.2 1.8 2.4
compressive strength of at least 55 MPa and above (Caldarone, 2009) and fibre reinforced concrete (FRC) is the conventional Fiber Content (% )

mix concrete which contain short discrete fibre distribute randomly in the mixture. By combining both definitions, fibre rein-
forced high strength concrete (FRHSC) is the concrete which attain compressive strength 55 MPa or more and reinforced by
short discrete fibres in the composite metrics. Typically, these fibres exhibit encouraging effects in enhancing structural per-
formance and integrity, increasing shear strength, energy absorption, capacity ductility and damage tolerance in flexural and
shear-critical members under reversed cyclic loading. (Parra-Montesinos, 2005; Ko¨ksal et. al., 2008). Few studies by Ramli
and Dawood (2010) and Dawood and Ramli (2010) also generated similar conclusions as other researcher whereby both fibre
and hybrid fibre system able to overcome the brittleness of silica fume concrete as well as increasing the strength.
Even though fibres bring quite a lot of advantages to the concrete, however there is also some risk to introduce fibres
into concrete. The universal finding was that the workability of fresh concrete greatly affected by incorporation of fibres. (ACI
Committee 309, 2008). Especially when large amount of fibres is incorporating into the concrete, the major reducing effects in
workability greatly increase the volume of air entrapped in the concrete and hence affecting its rigidity as well as durability
(Tatnall, 2006).
However, each types of fibre with different composition provide different effects to the performance of FRC. Besides
that, the past research findings were also recorded inconsistent data and therefore it diminishes the confidence of potential user
in the construction industry. For instance, the effects of fibre in permeability remain as the most arguable parameter. A research
carried out by Toutanji et. al. (1998) found that polypropelyne fibre resulted increases in permeability of the concrete. How-
ever, Bhargava (2006) discovered that fibres behave in the other way round. Under both stressed and unstressed conditions, the
FRC exhibits reduction in the permeability of concrete. The increase dosage of fibre in FRC can also improve the durability of
concrete as well.
Figure 1: Line plot of mean of compressive strength of various series of specimens at respective fibre content at 28 days
The incorporation of flexible short fibres attributes two major effects in affecting the strength, which are the reinforcing
effects and voids introduction. In the first case, it enhances the strength achievement. This is due to the short discrete fibres are
very effective in arresting cracks. They would reduce the cracks formation and propagations under axial loading and autogene-
nous shrinkage during hydration process. Besides that, the properties of the fibres such as high specific area of reinforcing pos-
ses by monofilament glass fibre, rough surface on the tough coconut fibre and the most important aspect which is high tensile
strength as well as the contour surface on the Barchip fibre govern the bonding strength at interfacial zone of fibre/binder ma-
trix. It would provide better reinforcing and bridging effects across the cracks during loading stage. All of this result higher
efficiency of load transfer within the microstructure of the matrix when they are under loading and therefore contribute to the
enhancements in strength achievement as proven in the experiment. (Sivakumar & Snathanam, 2007; Topçu & Canbaz, 2007;
Brandt, 2008). However this is only happen at the optimum fibre content in the mix proportions. In the latter case, the excessive
voids introduction by fibres may cause disintegration of fibre/binder matrix and therefore reducing the bonding strength
(Balaguru and Shah, 1992). In addition, the excessive voids also become the zone of weakness which would weaken the struc-
ture and therefore lead to the reduction in compressive strength, like what had happened to the 1.2% of GF, 2.4% of BF and
towards the higher content of fibre in CF series (Neville, 1995). In short, both reinforcing mechanism and voids introductions
are happen simultaneously with the incorporation of flexible fibres into concrete. However, which of them that dominant the
other would be indicated by the strength achievement.

In this study, the idea is to explore the influences fibres on the strength and permeability properties of poor fine high
strength concrete and also to identify their sensitivity in variations of content towards these two important parameters.
MATERIALS & METHOD
Figure 2 presents the experimental results on permeability parameter. It can be found that all of the curves in Figure 2
are plotted above the reference line which represents the intrinsic permeability of control specimen. This implies that the per-
meability of FRHSC is higher than that of the plain HSC. The line plot of the CF series indicates that the intrinsic permeability
of the FRHSC increase drastically as the coconut fibre content increases. This situation is closely related to the nature of the
coconut fibre whereby the fibre itself forms from a porous cellular structure. It would provide greater chances of the formation
of continuous pores within the composite matrix. The nitrogen gas used in the permeability test is suspected to pass through the
fibre itself as well during the testing other than the continuous pores. Besides that, the migration of hydration products espe-
cially calcium hydroxide from matrix to fibres would also induce microcracks around the fibres and cause fibre embrittlement,
which would then contribute to higher permeability (Filhoa et. al., 2000). The gas permeability measurement always provide a
clearly image on the continuity of pores in the composite matrix. The higher the coconut fibre content, the higher the formation
of continuous pores and therefore the higher the intrinsic permeability would be.

In this study, the binder matrix consist of Type I Portland cement and condensed silica fume. River sand with specific
gravity 2.51 and fineness modulus 3.98 used as fine aggregate. The fine particles (below 600 micron) were eliminated as they
would partially absorb the free water content and results lower workability. Crushed granite with specific gravity 2.7 and nomi- Line Plot of Mean of Intrinsic Permeability at 28 Days

nal size 19 mm used as coarse aggregate. Conplast SP 1000, a chloride free super plasticizing admixture based on sulphonated 4
Mix
BF
Intrinsic Permeability, K (x 10 ^-16 m^2)

naphthalene polymers which complying BS 5075 used to established a workable fibre reinforced high strength concrete. Coco- CF
GF

nut fiber, Barchip fiber and Glass fiber with specifications are shown in Table 1 to Table 3, respectively. Normal

Table 1: Specifications of coconut fibre

2
Item Unit Test value

Diameter mm 0.32 1

Length mm 20-30 0.311

Tensile strength mpa 176 0
0.0 0.6 1.2 1.8 2.4
Elastic modulus GPa 22.4 Fibre Content (% )

Specific gravity - 1.13

Figure 2: Line plot of mean of intrinsic permeability of various series of specimens at respective fibre content at 28 days
Table 2: Specifications of Barchip fibre provided by Elastro Plastic Concrete Inc
BF series and GF series demonstrate quite comparable results; both are relatively low compare to that of the CF series.
Characteristic Unit Material property Variation of fibre content does not result significant changes in permeability properties of the FRHSC. The BF series even
shows a slightly decreasing trend on per1meability as the fibre content increases. On the contrary, due to the highly specific
Base resin - Modified Olefin
area of monofilament glass fibre has greatly reduced the workability of the mixture (Kwan & Ramli, 2010b). Therefore the
Length mm 24±2
composite matrix has higher potential in entrapping excessive air content into the mixes which would cause incomplete consoli-
Tensile strength MPa 640
dation. Eventually, it causes increase in permeability (Tatnall, 2006). However, this variation is less sensitive or insignificant
Surface texture - Continuously embossed
compare to that of the CF series specimens.
No. fibers per kg Nos 37, 000
Specific gravity - 0.95
Young’s modulus GPa 10
Melting point °C 159-179
Ignition point °C >450
CONCLUSIONS
Table 3: Specifications of alkaline resistance glass fibre provided by Berjaya Bintang Timur (M) Sdn. Bhd
Item Unit Standard Test value
From this study, several findings and key results can be summarized as follow:
Diameter mm 15.0+2.3 15.70  Barchip fibre is found to be the best among all of the fibres that have been studied in this research. It registered the
Length mm 24+1.5 24.40 highest compressive at 1.8% of fibre content and showed consistency in permeability properties, which is just
Moisture content % < 0.2 0.18 slightly higher than that of the plain HSC.
Combustible % 1.9+0.3 1.83  Both glass fibre and Barchip fibre shows less variation in fibre content towards intrinsic permeability.
matter content  Coconut fibre is not sensitive in altering the compressive strength achievement but the durability properties is
Elastic modulus - 2.6-2.8 2.70 greatly affected when fibre content increases. Therefore, it is recommended to incorporate in small quantity for bet-
ZrO² % 16.8+0.5/0.3 16.57 ter performance in FRHSC.
TiO² % 5.5+0.5 5.45

Three types of fibres incorporated at four different contents, i.e. 0.6%, 1.2%, 1.8% and 2.4% into the HSC respectively.
The percentage of fibre content was calculated base on the binder volume. A total of thirteen mixes with only variations of
types of fibre and fibre contents and including one control mix were casted in this study. The mixture proportions of the control
mix were established from the previous work (Kwan & Ramli, 2010a). The fresh specimens were kept in the laboratory condi-
AKNOWLEDGEMENT
tions, ± 26 °C and relative humidity at ± 65%. Then, the specimens were demoulded after 24±2 hours and immersed into water
tank at temperature 25±2°C until the age of testing. For each kind of specimens, three 100 x 100 x 100 mm cubes and 100 x
100 x 500 mm prisms were prepared for compressive and permeability test. The compressive strength test was done in accor-
dance to BS EN 12390-3:2009 while the permeability test was carried out using Leeds cell permeameter. The detail of perme- The authors would like to sincerely thank to Universiti Sains Malaysia providing fellowship and grant USM-RU-PGRS Grant
ability test should refer to the references. (Cabrera & Lynsdale, 1988; Kwan & Ramli, 2011c) No. 1001/PPBGN/843058 and co-operations from all parties to ensure that the research progress smoothly.