Experimental Study on the Rate of Absorption of Water of Basalt, Polypropylene, and Steel Fibers Reinforced Concrete

Good durability of concrete is an essential part of the design process, and tests to determine sustainability have been developed for both laboratory and site use. The main feature of durable concrete is low water absorption. Almost all forms of deterioration in reinforced concrete involve deleterious fluid ingress through the concretes pore structure. In wet concrete, the water ingress rate or other liquids is mostly controlled by absorption due to capillary rise. This study examines the effect of basalt, polypropylene, and steel fiber in different volume fractions at 0.3%, 0.6%, and 0.9% for absorption tests. A total of 8 specimens for different fiber were examined based on the rate of water absorption test recommended by ASTM C1585-04.  A result obtained has been analyzed and compared with the control specimen. A relationship between absorption rate and the square root of time for both concrete mixtures was represented graphically and linearly. Result data showed a precise decrease in absorption due to incorporating both types of fiber. Also, from the result data, basalt and polypropylene showed greater uptake than steel fiber and enhances mass transport of water into concrete specimens. However, steel fiber addition showed high resistance to absorption rater than the control specimen and other fiber.