Improving Impact and Mechanical Properties of Gap-Graded Concrete by Adding Waste Plastic Fibers

Abstract

This research includes the study of the effect of adding the chips resulting from cutting the plastic beverage bottles by hand (which is used in Iraqi markets now) as small fibers added to the gap-graded concrete. These fibres were added with different percentages of concrete volumes. These percentages were (0.5%) , (1%) and (1.5%). Reference concrete mix was also made for comparative reasons. Results proved that adding of waste plastic fibres with these percentages leads to improvements in compressive strength and Splitting Tensile Strength of concretes containing plastic fibres, but the improvement in Splitting Tensile Strength appeared more clearly. There is significant improvement in low-velocity impact resistance of all waste plastic fibres reinforced concrete (WPFRC) mixes over reference mix. Results illustrated that waste plastic fibres reinforced mix of (1.5%) give the higher impact resistance than others, the increase of its impact resistance at failure over reference mix was (328.6%) while, for waste plastic fibres reinforced mix of (0.5%) was (128.6%) and it was (200%) for fiber reinforced mix of (1%). Some photos were taken to the microstructures of concrete by using Scanning Electronic Microscope (SEM) and Optical Microscope.