Evaluating the effect of steel fibers on the mechanical performance of high-volume fly ash concrete

Abstract

Abstract The construction sector contributes significantly to environmental degradation by completely depleting energy resources. Cement industry emissions are the most significant contributors to climate change along with global warming. To address this issue, researchers are investigating different materials with cementing properties thereby replacing the cement in concrete either partially or completely. Various materials such as different types of ashes and slags have been effectively utilized as cement substitutes thereby making the concrete sustainable. Partial substitution of cement with fly ash has a positive impact on the overall performance of concrete but the incorporation of fly ash at a higher volume into the concrete reduces its characteristics. The objective of this work was to improve the overall performance of High-Volume Fly-Ash concrete by incorporating steel fibers with varying volume fractions. From this study, it can be inferred that reinforcing with steel fibers up to 1.2% fiber volume has compensated for the negative effect of HVFA by improving the overall properties.