MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF CONCRETE CONTAINING POLYPROPYLENE FIBRE AND SILICA FUME

Silica Fume, a by-product of the smoselting process in the silicon and ferrosilicon industry, if utilized in construction will serve as an alternative to disposal and will decrease its hazardous effect on the environment. Polypropylene fibres are thermoplastic polymer which improves the durability of concrete and also gives enhanced strength. Silica fume of different percentages such as 0%, 5% and 10% were used. Polypropylene fibres of 0%, 01%, 0.25%, 0.5% were added in concrete. A total of 12 mixes, 228 Samples (108 cubes, 108 prisms, and 12 cylinders) were casted. Cubes were casted to test compressive strength, prisms were casted to test flexural strength, and cylinders were casted to find modulus of elasticity of concrete. Different curing periods was maintained such as 7 days, 28 days and 56 days. Compressive strength and flexural strength increases when higher percentages of silica fume were used. Ductility behaviour of concrete improves when fibres were added.