Effect of polypropylene fiber and nano-silica on the compressive strength and frost resistance of recycled brick aggregate concrete

Abstract

Wasted clay bricks as coarse aggregate of recycled concrete is an effective solution to save energy and reduce CO2 emissions in the construction industry. However, the mechanical properties and frost resistance of recycled brick aggregate (RBA) concrete are inferior to those of ordinary concrete, which limits its widespread application. In this research, the effects of RBA, polypropylene fiber (PPF) and nano-silica (NS) on the mechanical properties and frost resistance of concrete were investigated. The effect of RBA, PPF, and NS on the compressive strength was quantitatively analyzed, and microstructural analysis and fractal dimension calculation of the concrete were performed. The results show that the concrete compressive strength decreased with the increase in RBA replacement rate, and it was effectively improved by adding PPF and NS (PPF-NS). The compressive strength first increased and then decreased with the increase in PPF and NS. The improvement effect of 0.12% PPF and 2% NS on the compressive strength of 50% replacement rate of RBA concrete was most effective. The gray relational degrees between the compressive strength and RBA, PPF, and NS were 0.6578, 0.8297, and 0.5941, respectively. The frost resistance of PPF-NS modified concrete was better than that of ordinary concrete, mainly manifested in its superior apparent phenomena, mass loss, and strength loss. Compared with normal concrete, the microstructure was denser and the fractal dimension of the cross-section was higher for RBA concrete modified with PPF-NS before and after freeze–thaw cycles.

Keywords

• polypropylene fiber
• nano-silica
• recycled brick aggregate
• compressive strength
• frost resistance