Experimental Investigation of the Dynamic Mechanical Properties of Polypropylene-Fiber-Reinforced Foamed Concrete at High Temperatures

Abstract

Polypropylene-fiber-reinforced foamed concrete (PPFRFC) is often used to reduce building structure weight and develop engineering material arresting systems (EMASs). This paper investigates the dynamic mechanical properties of PPFRFC with densities of 0.27 g/cm3, 0.38 g/cm3, and 0.46 g/cm3 at high temperatures and proposes a prediction model to characterize its behavior. To conduct the tests on the specimens over a wide range of strain rates (500~1300 s−1) and temperatures (25~600 °C), the conventional split-Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) apparatus was modified. The test results show that the temperature has a substantial effect on the strain rate sensitivity and density dependency of the PPFRFC. Additionally, the analysis of failure models demonstrates that with the melting of polypropylene fibers, the level of damage in PPFRFC under dynamic loading increases, resulting in the generation of a greater number of fragments.