Mechanical Performance of Polymeric ARGF-Based Fly Ash-Concrete Composites: A Study for Eco-Friendly Circular Economy Application

Abstract

At present, low tensile mechanical properties and a high carbon footprint are considered the chief drawbacks of plain cement concrete (PCC). At the same time, the combination of supplementary cementitious material (SCM) and reinforcement of fiber filaments is an innovative and eco-friendly approach to overcome the tensile and environmental drawbacks of plain cement concrete (PCC). The combined and individual effect of fly ash (FA) and Alkali resistance glass fiber (ARGF) with several contents on the mechanical characteristics of M20 grade plain cement concrete was investigated in this study. A total of 20 concrete mix proportions were prepared with numerous contents of FA (i.e., 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40%) and ARGF (i.e., 0, 0.5, 1 and 1.5%). The curing of these concrete specimens was carried out for 7 and 28 days. For the analysis of concrete mechanical characteristics, the following flexural, split tensile, and compressive strength tests were applied to these casted specimens. The outcomes reveal that the mechanical properties increase with the addition of fibers and decrease at 30 and 40% replacement of cement with fly ash. Replacement of cement at higher percentages (i.e., 30 and 40) negatively affects the mechanical properties of concrete. On the other hand, the addition of fibers positively enhanced the flexural and tensile strength of concrete mixes with and without FA in contrast to compressive strength. In the end, it was concluded that the combined addition of these two materials enhances the strength and toughness of plain cement concrete, supportive of the application of an eco-friendly circular economy. The relationship among the mechanical properties of fiber-reinforced concrete was successfully generated at each percentage of fly ash. The R-square for general relationships varied from (0.48–0.90) to (0.68–0.96) for each percentage of FA fiber reinforced concrete. Additionally, the accumulation of fibers effectively boosts the mechanical properties of all concrete mixes.

Conservation Environments’ Effect on the Compressive Strength Behaviour of Wood–Concrete Composites

“…According to Chen et al [ 69 ], Mg 2+ and SO 4 2− may be more damaging to the compressive strength of cement-based composites than other anions. The major damage caused by SO 4 2− to concrete is crystalline corrosion [ 6 , 70 ], which includes the conversion of thenardite crystals to mirabilite crystals [ 70 , 71 ] and the volume expansion of ettringite crystals and gypsum crystals. Both of the aforementioned factors may cause a sequence of physical and chemical reactions inside the concrete, which may result in additional concrete expansion and cracking [ 72 , 73 , 74 ].…”

“…The building industry is responsible for around a quarter of all CO 2 emissions [ 3 ], not to mention the loss of non-renewable resources [ 4 ]. As a result, the building industry must innovate to ensure customer satisfaction, while also being environmentally sustainable, hence the interest in creating an eco-construction technique [ 5 , 6 , 7 ]. This unique design technique strives to produce pleasant structures at a reduced environmental cost by using more efficient materials [ 8 ].…”

Using Multiple Machine Learning Models to Predict the Strength of UHPC Mixes with Various FA Percentages

“…The integration of fly ash into UHPC has been extensively studied. Previous research studies underscored its potential to enhance concrete's mechanical properties and contribute to sustainability in the construction industry [16][17][18]. Studies have demonstrated that substituting 10% to 40% of cement with fly ash in UHPC formulations can significantly boost the material's strength and durability.…”

The Effect of Fly Ash Substitution in 3 Brands of PCC Cement on The Compressive Strength f Concrete

“…One of the materials that can be used to mix concrete is coal dregs, which have a high buildup, namely fly ash. Fly ash is industrial waste produced from burning coal and consists of fine particles [2], [4], [6]- [10]. Using coal as an energy source will produce ash, namely fly ash and bottom ash.…”