Experimental and Analytical Study on Performance of Fiber-Reinforced Self-Stressed Concrete

Expansive cement is a unique type of cement that, when mixed with water, produces a paste which expands in volume significantly more than standard Portland cement. This expansion nullifies the deficit of shrinkage that arises during concrete hardening. This paper presents the outcomes of two phases of experimentation. Phase I of the paper provides a summary of the performance of expansive cement concrete mixes prepared with various proportions of expansive cement, which partially supplements the ordinary Portland cement, and which is infused with varying amounts of PVA fibers of 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, and 2.5%, as a form of reinforcement under compression, tension, and flexure. Concrete strength, curing effect, and PVA fibers are the variables in Phase I of the study. The Phase II findings provide the buckling behavior of the self-stressed concrete columns reinforced with PVA fibers when the optimum concrete mix obtained from the Phase I investigation was poured inside steel tubes of varying thicknesses of 2 mm and 2.5 mm to restrict the expansion of the concrete, thereby making it self-stressed concrete. The D/t ratio, inclusion of expansive cement, and PVA fibers are the variables for Phase II of the study. The self-stressed columns with 2% PVA fibers showed better performance than the other columns.

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