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Investigation on the effect of silane coupling agent treatment of steel fibers on the durability of UHPC

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Abstract

Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) is a type of cementitious material that has been specifically engineered to achieve exceptional mechanical properties and durability through optimized particle filling. However, the addition of steel fibers to the UHPC matrix creates a transitional region at the interface. Previous research has indicated that the use of silane coupling agents (SCA) on the surface of steel fibers is a promising approach for improving the bonding properties between the fibers and the matrix. This study aims to explore the impact of varying amounts of untreated steel fibers versus those that have undergone SCA treatment on the durability of UHPC. The findings indicate that treating steel fibers with SCA significantly narrows the pore space between the matrix and steel fibers, as well as enhances the production of hydration products on the steel fiber surface. Furthermore, this treatment facilitates the formation of a compact transition zone between the UHPC matrix and steel fibers. The electrochemical corrosion resistance, chloride ion penetration resistance, frost resistance, and sulfate erosion resistance of UHPC are all enhanced by this method. As a result, the durability of UHPC is significantly improved, making it an extremely promising avenue of research.

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All data included in this study are available upon request by contact with the corresponding author.

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51872120), National Key Research and Development Program of China (2017YFB0309905), 111 Project of International Corporation on Advanced Cement-based Materials (No. D17001). This research was also supported by the Taishan Scholars Program, Case by Case Project for Top Outstanding Talents of Jinan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Preparation and Measurement of Building Materials, University of Jinan, Jinan, 250022, China

    Shuang Du, Congqi Luan, Peng Du, Zonghui Zhou & Jinbang Wang

  2. State Key Laboratory of High Performance Civil Engineering Materials, Jiangsu Sobute New Materials Co., Ltd., Nanjing, 211103, China

    Shuang Du

  3. Shandong Hi-Speed Road and Bridge Technology Co., LTD., Jinan, 250021, China

    Lianwang Yuan

  4. Shangdong Ecological Environment Research Institute Co., Ltd., Jinan, 250022, China

    Jinbang Wang

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  1. Shuang Du
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  2. Congqi Luan
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  4. Peng Du
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  5. Zonghui Zhou
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Contributions

SD: Investigation, Writing, and original draft preparation. CL: Conceptualization, Methodology. LY: Writing, Reviewing, and Editing. Peng Du: Supervision, Writing, Reviewing, and Editing. ZZ: Supervision, Writing, Reviewing, and Editing. JW: Methodology, Supervision, and Editing.

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Correspondence to Zonghui Zhou.

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Du, S., Luan, C., Yuan, L. et al. Investigation on the effect of silane coupling agent treatment of steel fibers on the durability of UHPC. Archiv.Civ.Mech.Eng 23, 118 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43452-023-00667-x

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