Abstract
It is of great significance to overall evaluate the degree and process of sulfate erosion on concrete, especially for the fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC). This paper investigated the effect of steel fiber (SF), polypropylene fiber (PPF), and basalt fiber (BF) on the mechanical properties and microstructure of concrete exposed to sulfate erosion. The compressive strength, mass change rate, and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of the steel fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC), polypropylene fiber-reinforced concrete (PPFRC), and basalt fiber-reinforced concrete (BFRC) were obtained. The results revealed that the sodium solution concentration affected the compressive strength and relative elasticity modulus of concrete, the compressive strength and relative elasticity modulus diminished with the erosion concentration increased. Further, for the FRC, there was an optimum fiber content for the compressive strength of concretes to resist sulfate erosion, whereby the optimum fiber contents for the SFRC, PPFRC, and BFRC were 3.0%, 1.0‰ and 0.5‰, respectively. Moreover, the mass change rates for the PPFRC were lower than those for the BFRC, while being higher than those for the SFRC. The mass change rate of PPFRC exposed to sulfate erosion concentrations of 3%, 5% and 7% could be divided into three stages, i.e., decreasing stage with the mass change rate below zero, increasing stage with the pores of concretes filling by some expansion products, and declining stage with some mortar peeling out. Additionally, the number and shape of expansion products increased with the erosion age and sulfate solution concentration, together with the depth and width of cracks in concrete.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Uygunoğlu, T.: Investigation of microstructure and flexural behavior of steel-fiber reinforced concrete. Mater. Struct. 41(8), 1441–1449 (2008)
Yin, S.; Tuladhar, R.; Shi, F.; Combe, M.; Collister, T.; Sivakugan, N.: Use of macro plastic fibres in concrete: a review. Constr. Build. Mater. 93, 180–188 (2015)
Pakravan, H.R.; Ozbakkaloglu, T.: Synthetic fibers for cementitious composites: a critical and in-depth review of recent advances. Constr. Build. Mater. 207, 491–518 (2019)
Wei, B.; Cao, H.; Song, S.: Tensile behavior contrast of basalt and glass fibers after chemical treatment. Mater. Des. 31(9), 4244–4250 (2010)
Wei, B.; Cao, H.; Song, S.: Degradation of basalt fibre and glass fibre/epoxy resin composites in seawater. Corros. Sci. 53(1), 426–431 (2011)
Sun, J.; Ding, Z.; Li, X.; Wang, Z.: Bond behavior between BFRP bar and basalt fiber reinforced seawater sea-sand recycled aggregate concrete. Constr. Build. Mater. 285, 122951 (2021)
Fiore, V.; Di Bella, G.; Valenza, A.: Glass–basalt/epoxy hybrid composites for marine applications. Mater. Des. 32(4), 2091–2099 (2011)
Sim, J.; Park, C.; Moon, D.Y.: Characteristics of basalt fiber as a strengthening material for concrete structures. Compos. B Eng. 36(6–7), 504–512 (2005)
Borhan, T.M.: Properties of glass concrete reinforced with short basalt fibre. Mater. Des. 42, 265–271 (2012)
Niu, D.; Su, L.; Luo, Y.; Huang, D.; Luo, D.: Experimental study on mechanical properties and durability of basalt fiber reinforced coral aggregate concrete. Constr. Build. Mater. 237, 117628 (2020)
Fallah, S.; Nematzadeh, M.: Mechanical properties and durability of high-strength concrete containing macro-polymeric and polypropylene fibers with nano-silica and silica fume. Constr. Build. Mater. 132, 170–187 (2017)
Cao, S.; Yilmaz, E.; Song, W.: Fiber type effect on strength, toughness and microstructure of early age cemented tailings backfill. Constr. Build. Mater. 223, 44–54 (2019)
Katkhuda, H.; Shatarat, N.: Improving the mechanical properties of recycled concrete aggregate using chopped basalt fibers and acid treatment. Constr. Build. Mater. 140, 328–335 (2017)
Afroughsabet, V.; Biolzi, L.; Ozbakkaloglu, T.: High-performance fiber-reinforced concrete: a review. J. Mater. Sci. 51(14), 6517–6551 (2016)
Song, P.S.; Hwang, S.: Mechanical properties of high-strength steel fiber-reinforced concrete. Constr. Build. Mater. 18(9), 669–673 (2004)
Köksal, F.; Altun, F.; Yiğit, İ; Şahin, Y.: Combined effect of silica fume and steel fiber on the mechanical properties of high strength concretes. Constr. Build. Mater. 22(8), 1874–1880 (2008)
Tassew, S.T.; Lubell, A.S.: Mechanical properties of glass fiber reinforced ceramic concrete. Constr. Build. Mater. 51, 215–224 (2014)
Al-Ameeri, A.: The effect of steel fiber on some mechanical properties of self-compacting concrete. Am. J. Civ. Eng. 1(3), 102 (2013)
Giner, V.T.; Baeza, F.J.; Ivorra, S.; Zornoza, E.; Galao, Ó.: Effect of steel and carbon fiber additions on the dynamic properties of concrete containing silica fume. Mater. Des. 34, 332–339 (2012)
Hsu, L.S.; Hsu, C.T.T.: Stress–strain behavior of steel-fiber high-strength concrete under compression. ACI Struct. J. 91(4), 448–457 (1994)
Libre, N.A.; Shekarchi, M.; Mahoutian, M.; Soroushian, P.: Mechanical properties of hybrid fiber reinforced lightweight aggregate concrete made with natural pumice. Constr. Build. Mater. 25(5), 2458–2464 (2011)
Bissonnette, B.; Pigeon, M.: Tensile creep at early ages of ordinary, silica fume and fiber reinforced concretes. Cem. Concr. Res. 25(5), 1075–1085 (1995)
García-Taengua, E.; Arango, S.; Martí-Vargas, J.R.; Serna, P.: Flexural creep of steel fiber reinforced concrete in the cracked state. Constr. Build. Mater. 65, 321–329 (2014)
Cheung, A.K.F.; Leung, C.K.Y.: Shrinkage reduction of high strength fiber reinforced cementitious composites (HSFRCC) with various water-to-binder ratios. Cement Concr. Compos. 33(6), 661–667 (2011)
Güneyisi, E.; Gesoğlu, M.; Mohamadameen, A.; Alzeebaree, R.; Algın, Z.; Mermerdaş, K.: Enhancement of shrinkage behavior of lightweight aggregate concretes by shrinkage reducing admixture and fiber reinforcement. Constr. Build. Mater. 54, 91–98 (2014)
Yuan, Z.; Jia, Y.: Mechanical properties and microstructure of glass fiber and polypropylene fiber reinforced concrete: An experimental study. Constr. Build. Mater. 266, 121048 (2021)
Dong, J.F.; Wang, Q.Y.; Guan, Z.W.: Material properties of basalt fibre reinforced concrete made with recycled earthquake waste. Constr. Build. Mater. 130, 241–251 (2017)
Wan, X.; Gong, F.; Qu, M.; Qiu, E.; Zhong, C.: Experimental study of the salt transfer in a cold sodium sulfate soil. KSCE J. Civ. Eng. 23(4), 1573–1585 (2019)
Wan, X.; Hu, Q.; Liao, M.: Salt crystallization in cold sulfate saline soil. Cold Reg. Sci. Technol. 137, 36–47 (2017)
Yang, J.S.: Development and prospect of the research on salt affected soils in China. Acta Pedol. Sin. 45(5), 837–845 (2008)
Yu, C.; Sun, W.; Scrivener, K.: Degradation mechanism of slag blended mortars immersed in sodium sulfate solution. Cem. Concr. Res. 72, 37–47 (2015)
Al-Dulaijan, S.U.: Sulfate resistance of plain and blended cements exposed to magnesium sulfate solutions. Constr. Build. Mater. 21(8), 1792–1802 (2007)
Hossack, A.M.; Thomas, M.D.A.: The effect of temperature on the rate of sulfate attack of Portland cement blended mortars in Na2SO4 solution. Cem. Concr. Res. 73, 136–142 (2015)
Liu, Z.; De Schutter, G.; Deng, D.; Yu, Z.: Micro-analysis of the role of interfacial transition zone in “salt weathering” on concrete. Constr. Build. Mater. 24(11), 2052–2059 (2010)
Gao, J.; Yu, Z.; Song, L.; Wang, T.; Wei, S.: Durability of concrete exposed to sulfate attack under flexural loading and drying–wetting cycles. Constr. Build. Mater. 39, 33–38 (2013)
Ehlert, R.A.: Coral concrete at bikini atoll. Concr. Int. 13, 19–24 (1991)
Zhao, K.; Qiao, Y.; Zhang, P.; Bao, J.; Tian, Y.: Experimental and numerical study on chloride transport in cement mortar during drying process. Constr. Build. Mater. 258, 119655 (2020)
Han, S.; Zhong, J.; Yu, Q.; Yan, L.; Ou, J.: Sulfate resistance of eco-friendly and sulfate-resistant concrete using seawater sea-sand and high-ferrite Portland cement. Constr. Build. Mater. 305, 124753 (2021)
Santhanama, M.; Cohenb, M.D.; Olek, J.: Mechanism of sulfate attack: a fresh look: Part 2 Proposed mechanisms. Cem. Concr. Res. 33(3), 341–346 (2003)
Lee, S.T.; Moon, H.Y.; Swamy, R.N.: Sulfate attack and role of silica fume in resisting strength loss. Cem. Concr. Compos. 27(1), 65–76 (2005)
Huang, D.; Niu, D.; Su, L.; Fu, Q.: Chloride diffusion behavior of coral aggregate concrete under drying-wetting cycles. Constr. Build. Mater. 270, 121485 (2021)
Wang, J.; Niu, D.: Influence of freeze–thaw cycles and sulfate corrosion resistance on shotcrete with and without steel fiber. Constr. Build. Mater. 122, 628–636 (2016)
Ben, X.; Jiang, L.; Guo, M.Z.; Meng, Y.; Chen, L.; Jin, W.; Wang, F.: Chloride erosion resistance of calcium format incorporated cement mortar under chloride attack. Constr. Build. Mater. 314, 125611 (2022)
He, R.; Zheng, S.; Gan, V.J.L.; Wang, Z.; Fang, J.; Shao, Y.: Damage mechanism and interfacial transition zone characteristics of concrete under sulfate erosion and dry-wet cycles. Constr. Build. Mater. 255, 119340 (2020)
CS (Chinese Standard) GB/T 50081–2002 standard for test method of mechanical properties on ordinary concrete (in Chinese)
Standard specification for fiber-reinforced concrete and short concrete (ASTM C1116-02). Philadelphia, P. A.: American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
Wee, T.H.; Suryavanshi, A.K.; Wong, S.F.; AnisurRahman, K.M.: Sulfate resistance of concrete containing mineral admixtures. ACI Mater. J. 97(5), 536–549 (2000)
Al-Amoudi, O.S.B.: Attack on plain and blended cements exposed to aggressive sulfate environments. Cem. Concr. Compos 24(3–4), 305–316 (2002)
Funding
This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 42101136, 42071087), the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant No. 2021M692697), the State Key Laboratory of Frozen Soil Engineering (Grant No. SKLFSE202007), the Sichuan Science and Technology Program (Grant No. 2021YFQ0021), and the Sichuan Youth Science and Technology Innovation Research Team (Grant No. 2019JDTD0017).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lu, J., Liu, J., Fan, X. et al. Study on the Mechanical Properties and Microstructure of Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Subjected to Sulfate Erosion. Arab J Sci Eng 47, 13639–13653 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-022-06849-8
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-022-06849-8