Influence of Polypropylene Fibres

(PPF) on Concrete properties

Prepared by – Moaz Mohamed Osman

University of Kartoum
 Introduction
 In Sudan the polypropylene fibre (PPF) has seen limited
applications in several structures. However due to the lack of
awareness, design guidelines and construction specifications, is a
need to develop information on the properties of Polypropylene
Fibre (PPF).
  Fibres overview hydraulic
cements Water ,find and
coars aggregate

discontinuous
fibres

 Fibre Reinforced Concrete (FRC):

(FRC)
Types of fibres:
 Polypropylene Fibre(PPF)

 (PPF) are actually synthetic fibres resulted from research and development in the
petrochemical and textile industrial.
 Why (PPF) are used?

 Concrete is brittle material with :

Low tensile strength Low strain capacity Low resistance to cracking

By adding(PPF) into the concrete
 DECREASES
• Durability • Weight
• Tensile strength • Plastic Shrinkage
• Deformation capacity • Cracks
INCREASE

• Fire Resistance • Cost

• Strength • Permeability
• Corrosion
S
Non-Magnetic

Alkali resistant

safe and easy to

use
• Also It can be defined as resistance to fracture of a material when stressed.
 Applications of polypropylene fibre

foundation
piles

pavement
bridge decks
Trillium Building

California
 Objective of research

 To compute the effect of fresh and hardened properties of ( PPFRC).

 To find optimum percentage of Polypropylene fibre content between 0.3% and
1.0% by volume of cement.
Experimental Program
 Material Specification:
 cement:
Type: Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC)
class 42.5 N
 Fine Aggregates:
Good Quality of river natural Sand
 Coarse Aggregate:
natural uncrushed of maximum size 20mm.
 Mix Proportions

• 375 kg/m³ • 175 kg/m

cement water

Find Coarse
aggregate aggregate

• 855 kg/m³ • 950 kg/m³

• w/c = 0.52
• (PPF) length
12 m m
 CASTING PROCEDURE

 The total mixing time was 5 minutes; the samples were then casted in steel
moulds and compacted, then left for 24 hours before demount, then they were
placed in the curing tank of 20±2oC.
Figure1 :Mixing and adding (PPF) Figure 2:Preparation and casting of Moulds

Figure 3: curing
TESTING AND RESULTS
  Fresh Concrete properties

120

100

80
Slump (mm)

60

40

20

0
0.0%
0.3%
0.5%
Percen t
age of f 1.0%
ib er %
Figure :Slump tests for (i) control mix, (ii)0.3% polypropylene fibre.
(iii) 1.0%Polypropylene fibre.
  Hardened Concrete Properties
Compressive
strength

Split Tensile
Strength

Flexural strength
 Compressive strength

40

35

30
Compressive strength

25

7 days
20
28 days
15

10

0
0.0%
0.3%
0.5%
Percent
ag e o f fiber % 1.0%
 Split Tensile Strength
2.35

2.3
Split Tensile Strength

2.25

2.2

2.15

2.1

2.05

2
0.0%
0.3%
0.5%
Percentage
of fiber % 1.0%
 Flexural strength
7

6
Flexural strength

1
0.0%
0.3%
0.5%
Percent
age of fi 1.0%
ber %
● Specimens without any fibers after tensile ● Specimens with fibers after tensile strength
strength test test
 Conclusion
 Based on the test results presented in this paper, it can be concluded that ,

 Use of Polypropylene fibers (PPF) in the concrete decreases the workability of the
fresh concrete.
 Polypropylene fibers (PPF) reduce early age shrinkage.
 Higher flexural strength, depending on addition rate.
 Tensile strength increased for 0.5% volume percentage of PPF by 20%. after which it
decreases.
 Recommendations
 Quality control, mixing and compaction procedure should be carefully considered when
using polypropylene fibre mixes.
 Polypropylene fibers (PPF) is complicated and need to study more than three
volume percentages to understand its exact behavior.
 This study was conducted on plain concrete. Beneficial effects of PPF on reinforced
concrete for structural applications should also be studied.