EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON EFFECT OF SHORT STEEL FIBRE REINFORCEMENT ON LATERIZED CONCRETE

Laterite is used as partial replacement for the fine aggregate. Laterite soils are readily available in India. They are easy to procure and do not require washing before use because they contain little or no organic material that can harmfully and chemically react with cement during hydration of cement in concrete. Steel is one of the most widely used construction material as reinforcement. The tensile strength of concrete is improved by using randomly aligned discontinuous steel fibers. This study included the combination of laterite and discontinuous steel fibers. The mix proportion for this study is 1:2.55:4.53 (cement: Laterite/sand: Granite) with 0.75 water/cement ratio to study the flexural strength and Split tensile strength of steel fiber reinforced concrete containing fibers. The specimens were cured in water for 7days and 28 days at normal atmospheric temperature. The steel fiber was varied from 0% to 2% at 0.5% interval. A result data obtained has been analyzed and compared with a control specimen (0% fiber). A relationship between aspect ratio vs. flexural strength, aspect ratio vs. Split tensile strength represented graphically. It was found that 1.5% of the steel fibers are optimum. Result data clearly shows that there is a percentage increase in 7days and 28 days Compressive strength, Flexural strength and Split Tensile strength with the increase in steel fibers.