Effect of Silica Fume on Engineering Properties of Fiber Reinforced Concrete

Abstract

Concrete is a most widely used man-made construction material in the world. It is obtained by mixing cementitious materials, water, aggregate and sometimes admixtures in required proportions. The concrete widely used in large-scale construction demands high strength, high flowability, and high durability. This paper is an attempt to study the various engineering properties of a concrete made with additives such as silica fume, a synthetic fiber and a super plasticizer in differentmaterial proportions. Recron 3s fibersmanufactured by Reliance Industry Limited, India (RIL) and commonly available in the local retail market of India have been used. The experimental investigations include the X-ray diffraction test, the basic tests for cement, and conventional tests for concrete such as compressive strength, flexural strength and split tensile strength. The capillary and porosity tests have been also conducted to study the effects of concrete in respect of resistance to seeping or dampening. It has been observed that silica fumes and Recron fibers enhance the resistance to capillary and porosity problems in concrete, besides enhancing the compressive strength, flexural strength and split tensile strength. Generally it is seen from this investigation that the optimum properties of concrete have been obtained with 20% silica fume replacement and 0.2% fiber content.