IMPROVING THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF STEEL FIBER CONCRETE BY USING ACRYLIC POLYMER

Abstract

This research includes the study of improving mechanical properties of concrete using steel fibers with different volume ratios (0.5%, 1% and 1.5%) . According to the best results obtained from mechanical properties tests, the steel fiber concrete mix with (Vf=1%) were selected to study the effects of adding Acrylic polymer on the mechanical properties, with different weight ratios of polymer to cement (3%, 7% and 10%). The results showed an improvement in all properties of steel fiber concrete with and without polymer as compared with reference concrete. In compressive strength, the increase was (14.2% - 29.2%) for steel fiber concrete, while the increase was (44.8% - 86.64%) for steel fiber concrete containing polymer. In splitting tensile strength, the increase was (50% - 91%) for steel fiber concrete, while the increase was (102.4% - 124.7%) for steel fiber concrete containing polymer. For flexural strength, the increase was (24.2% - 48.3%) for steel fiber concrete, while the increase was (62% - 78%) for steel fiber concrete containing polymer.