Effect of NaCl on the Mechanical Properties of Structural Lightweight Concrete Reinforced with Fibers

Abstract

Foamed concrete is a versatile material that has been of great significance and been the subject of large industrial demand in recent years for a wide range of construction projects. The foam agent is used to produce lightweight concrete. In this study, the slump flow of foamed concrete was measured, along with the hardening properties of compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, and flexural strength. Glass fibers (GF) and polypropylene fibers (PPF) were used, the volume fractions of GF and PPF being 0.06, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6 %, and 0.2, 0.6, 1, and 1.4 %, respectively. Additionally, the study focuses on saltwater curing. The saltwater used was sodium chloride solution (NaCl) in the order of 5 % concentration of NaCl in water. The results show that saltwater curing decreased the mechanical properties of, and caused degradation in, foamed concrete. However, the addition of fibers to the foamed concrete improved the performance of such concrete in saltwater curing. GF gave the best results, compared with PPF, whereas use of 0.6 % GF in foamed concrete contributed the least reduction, of 0.2, 0.25, and 0.5 %, in compressive strength, splitting tensile strength and flexural strength, respectively.

Keywords

• Lightweight concrete
• foamed concrete
• glass fibers (GF)
• polypropylene fibers (PPF)
• saltwater
• sodium chloride (NaCl)