Bending Behaviour of Recycled PET Fiber Reinforced Cement-Based CompositeBending Behaviour of Recycled PET Fiber Reinforced Cement-Based Composite

Abstract

This paper addresses the results of an investigation on the influence of Recycled PET (R-PET) fibers as reinforcement of cementitious matrix. The mixtures were produced using Portland cement, fly ash, silica sand, superplasticizer and different volumes of R-PET fibers, i.e. 0%, 1.0%, 1.5% and 2.0%. The bending performance of the mixtures was assessed based on the four-point bending test in terms of first-cracking stress, first-cracking deflection, ultimate bending strength, ultimate midspan deflection at bending strength and toughness. The results indicated that the incorporation of R-PET fibers significantly improve the post-cracking behaviour of mortars with a major improvement in mortar toughness and deflection capacity. The maximum volume of PET fibers for a desired workability and performance of the composite was 2.0%, which showed a deflection hardening behaviour. Cementitious composites with 1.0% and 1.5% fiber volume content exhibited deflection-softening behaviour, with a single cracking formation. Index Terms-Bending behaviour, cement based composite, FRC, PET fibers.