Performance analysis of hybrid fiber reinforced high volume fly ash cement composite

Abstract

Fly ash is a well-known pozzolanic material that can be used in high volume as a partial replacement of cement. This paper attempts to characterize the mechanical properties of hybrid fiber reinforced high volume fly ash (HVFA) cement mortar. An experimental program was designed to show how the addition of steel (ST), polypropylene (PP) and basalt fibers (BF) in various volume fractions affected under an applied compressive and flexural load. High volume flyash cement composites were reinforced with fibers at 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0% by volume and these mixtures were tested for the compressive stress-strain curves. Different sizes of fibers are combined to modify the crack propagation mechanism, thus producing an increase in the peak strain and the post-peak ductility. From this study, the most effective hybrid fiber was found to be the composition of 1.0% ST + 0.5% PP + 0.5% BF (H7). Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis of the microstructure was also carried out to determine the durability characteristics of basalt fibers in HVFA cement mortar.