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The article describes four-point bending tests of three reinforced concrete beams with identical cross-sections, spans, and high-ductility steel reinforcement systems. Two beams were strengthened in the compressed section with a thin layer of reactive powder concrete (RPC) bonded with evenly spaced stirrups. Their remaining sections, and the third reference beam, were made of ordinary concrete. Measurements of their deflections, strains and axis curvature; ultrasonic tests; and a photogrammetric analysis of the beams are the main results of the study. For one of the beams with the RPC, the load was increased in one stage. For the two remaining beams, the load was applied in four stages, increasing the maximum load from stage to stage in order to allow the analysis of the damage evolution before reaching the bending resistance. The most important effect observed was the stable behaviour of the strengthened beams in the post-critical state, as opposed to the reference beam, which had about two to three times less energy-absorbing capacity in this range. Moreover, thanks to the use of the RPC layer, the process of concrete cover delamination in the compression zone was significantly reduced, the high ductility of the rebars was fully utilized during the formation of plastic hinges, and the bending capacity was increased by approximately 12%.

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The paper presents the test results of basalt fiber impact on a compressive and flexural strength, resistance to abrasion and porosity of Reactive Powder Concrete (RPC). The reasons for testing were interesting mechanical properties of basalt fibers, the significant tensile strength and flexural strength, and in particular the resistance to high temperatures, as well as a relatively small number of RPC tests performed with those fibers and different opinions regarding the impact of those fibers on concrete strength. The composition of the concrete mix was optimized to obtain the highest packing density of particles in the composite, based on the optimum particle size distribution curve acc. to Funk. Admixture of basalt fibers was used in quantity 2, 3, 6, 8 and 10 kg/m3, length 12 mm and diameter 18 µm. A low water-to-binder ratio, i.e., from 0.24, was obtained through application of a polycarboxylate-based superplasticizer. The introduction of up to 10 kg/m3 of basalt fibers to RPC mix was proved to be possible, while keeping the same w/c ratio equal to 0.24, with a slight loss of workability of the concrete mix as the content of fibers increased. It was found that the increase of the fiber content in RPC to 10 kg/m3, despite the w/c ratio was kept the same, caused reduction of the concrete compressive strength by 18.2%, 7.8% and 13.6%, after 2, 7, and 28 days respectively. Whereas, the flexural strength of RPC increased gradually (maximum by 15.9%), along with the fiber quantity increase up to 6 kg/m3, and then it reduced (maximum by 17.7%), as the fiber content in the concrete was further increased. The reduction of RPC compressive strength, along with the increase in basalt fibers content, leads to the increase of the total porosity, as well as the change in pore volume distribution. The reduction of RPC abrasion resistance was demonstrated along with the increase of basalt fibers content, which was explained by the compressive strength reduction of that concrete. A linear relation between the RPC abrasion resistance and the compressive strength involves a high determination coefficient equal to 0.97.

Results of investigations of reactive powder concrete (RPC) are presented in the paper. Optimization of the concrete composition was performed to achieve the highest degree of grains packing based on the optimal graining curve according to Funk for dmax = 1000 μm and dmin = 0.1 μm. Cement, silica fume, quartz and sand powder were considered in the composition. Steel fibers addition of 25% by mass was applied. A very low water–to–binder ratio, amounting to 0.2, was reached applying novel generation of superplasticizers based on polycarboxylates. The RPC mixture remained fluid during 1 hour. The diameter of slump flow according to PN-EN standard amounted to 250 mm after 60 minutes. The hardened concrete RPC displayed high strength and durability. Compressive strength reached 145 MPa after 2 days and about 200 MPa after 28 days; the bending strength exceeded 50 MPa after 28 days. After 56 freezing/defrosting cycles in the deicing salt solution, the concrete has shown minimal salt scaling of only 0.0007 kg/m2. Therefore, frost resistance of the concrete studied can be rated as very good according to PN-EN standard. The SEM pictures proved the amorphous phase of hydrated calcium silicates (C-S-H) is the dominant phase within the RPC microstructure. Usually, the C-S-H phase tightly covers the quartz grains and is in close contact with the unreacted cement grains. Crystallites of the monosulphate (AFm) were also found. The concrete microstructure was compact; pores of a few micrometers were rarely observed. The RPC porosity was measured using the mercury porosimetry. Porosity reduction by almost twice (from 10.9% down to 4.4%) was found after the RPC curing from 2 to 28 days. In the same period, a fraction of small mezopores (diameter below 20 nm) increased from 39.8% to 77.1%. Based on the research results data, presented the RPC concrete can be regarded as an interesting alternative to other construction materials of enhanced explosion resistance. Key words: Reactive Powder Concrete, strength, durability, explosion resistance