DENSITY AND COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF LIGHTWEIGHT CONCRETE CONTAINING HYBRID FIBRE REINFORCEMENT
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35631/IJIREV.825024Keywords:
Compressive Strength, Density, Hybrid Fibre, Lightweight Concrete, StructuralAbstract
Lightweight concrete (LWC) has advantages of lower self-weight and better thermal efficiency, yet its limited mechanical performance restricts its broader use in structural fields. This study attempts to investigate the effect of hybrid micro-synthetic fibre reinforcement on physical and mechanical properties of LWC, namely density and compressive strength under open-air curing conditions. Control (no fibre), single-fibre (0.5% PP and 0.5% nylon) and hybrid-fibre mixes were prepared by adding polypropylene (PP) and nylon fibres at total volume fractions of 0.20%, 0.25% and 0.30%, respectively, while maintaining a constant 1:1 ratio of PP to nylon. The findings showed that the insertion of hybrid fibres resulted in a modest increase in the density of LWC because of improved packing of the matrix and reduction of air voids. Moreover, the compressive strength showed a remarkable improvement compared to the control and single-fibre mixes, with the best performance obtained at 0.20% and 0.30% hybrid fibre contents. The synergistic interaction of PP and nylon fibres increased stress transfer, crack-bridging capability and microstructural stability, providing evidence of the potential of hybrid fibre-reinforced LWC as a sustainable material for semi-structural applications.
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