Experimental Study on Basic Mechanical Properties of Basalt Fiber Reinforced Concrete

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Civil Engineering
• Concrete Technology

Background:

• Concrete exhibits brittle behavior and is prone to cracking.
• Basalt fiber addition can enhance concrete's mechanical properties and durability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of varying basalt fiber content on concrete's mechanical properties.
• To evaluate the toughness and crack resistance of basalt fiber-reinforced concrete.
• To establish a calculation formula for mechanical properties based on basalt fiber content.

Main Methods:

• Performing compressive, tensile, and flexural tests on concrete specimens with different basalt fiber proportions.
• Analyzing test phenomena, failure modes, and mechanical properties.
• Evaluating toughness and crack resistance using fracture energy, advanced toughness parameters, and characteristic length (Hillerborg).

Main Results:

• Basalt fiber significantly improved the toughness and crack resistance of concrete.
• The enhancement in tensile and flexural strength was more pronounced than in compressive strength.
• Optimal improvement in mechanical properties was achieved with basalt fiber content between 0.3% and 0.4%.

Conclusions:

• Basalt fiber is an effective additive for enhancing concrete's toughness and crack resistance.
• The optimal content for basalt fiber reinforcement in concrete is between 0.3% and 0.4%.
• The study provides a formula for calculating mechanical properties of basalt fiber-reinforced concrete.