Combined Effect of Steel Fibers with Ferrochrome Slag on Hardened Concrete

Abstract

Research on concrete technology is of vital importance in the present world as concrete is used in a variety of environments, many of them being aggressive in nature. As such, new explorations are being done in an everyday basis, to increase the mechanical properties of concrete, as well as making them cost-efficient. But significant research has not been done in the combined effects of steel fiber along with ferrochrome ash, and hence not much is known about the effects imposed by the combination on the properties of concrete. Ferrochrome ash is a by-product of industrial wastes, which has been seen to have considerable resistive strength. This, in combination with steel fiber, which is known for its strength-increasing property in concrete was used. The results of the experiment were found to be satisfactory, as the use of small proportions in ferrochrome ash along with steel fiber was seen to considerably improve the mechanical properties. Compressive strength was seen to develop at a great rate in the different combinations, however for the combination of 10% ferrochrome + 2% steel fiber, all the properties were seen to get the highest influence. Strength started depreciating however, on increasing the steel fiber beyond 2%, as it resulted in lower workability. Thus through this study, properties of ferrochrome ash as well as steel fiber, and their effects on concrete strengths, were presented.

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