International Journal of Engineering Trends and Technology (IJETT) – Volume 24 Number 3- June 2015
Study on Compressive Strength of Concrete Using Areca
Fibre as Reinforcement
Anil kumar1, Anoop kishan k2, Divakar L3,Sudheer4
1Assistant Professor Department of Civil engineering , NMAMIT, Nitte,karnataka, India
2 UG student Department of Civil engineering , AIET, Mijar,karnataka, India
4Assistant Professor Department of Civil engineering , AIET, Mijar,karnataka, India
2 UG student Department of Civil engineering , AIET, Mijar,karnataka, India
Abstract: Portland cement when used as a cement has a
certain characteristics which makes it relatively very
strong material in compressive strength but weak with
respect to tension and tends to act as brittle . In order to
overcome this nature of concrete, various kinds of fibres
have been introduced into concrete and the class of
concretes so produced are known as Fibre Reinforced
Concretes. The use of fibres in cement concrete mix has
altered in the behavior of fibre-matrix composite after it
has cracked, and caused in improvement in toughness.
The present study is carried to investigate the
the suitability and viability of Areca Fibre in fibre
reinforced concrete. Areca Fibre is naturally occurring
and locally available fibre material in and around
Dakshina Kannada district in coastal Karnataka.
The Experimental work was carried by
designing a concrete mix which is highly workable, with
the use of fly ash and poly-carboxylate-ethyl ester (PCE)
based Super Plasticizer. Addition of areca fibres into this
concrete was done at 0.5, 1, 1.5, 3 and 5% by weight of
Total Cementitious Content and Water to Binder Ratio of
0.33. The change in workability of fresh concrete at
different fibre dosages in terms of slump flow values was
observed. The compressive strength test for hardened
concrete specimens was performed.
The results revels that compressive strength increases
with the addition of areca fibre content and maximum
strength is attained with a optimum dosage of 8%.
Keywords— Fibre reinforced Concrete, Areca fibre,
compressive strength.
I. INTRODUCTION
Concrete is one of the most widely used
construction material in the field of civil
engineering. In recent years, researchers been
carried in focus on the improvement of concrete
quality related to its mechanical and durability
properties. These can be achieved by the addition
of the supplementary cementitious reinforcement in
the mix.
FRC is being widely researched around the
world as they exhibit good strength even when not
reinforced with steel. But FRCs is costlier to
produce when compared to conventional concrete
due to various reasons. Cost involved in producing
synthetic fibres has acted against its widespread
adoption. Fibres are the thin products which can be
used as a primary reinforcement where reinforcing
bars cannot be used. In these applications, the
fibres are added to increase both the strength and
the toughness of the composite.
ISSN: 2231-5381
Areca Fibre is naturally occurring and locally
available fibre material. Areca plantations
dominate the agricultural scenario in and around
Dakshina Kannada district in coastal Karnataka.
Figure1:Areca husk ,Areca husk chopped and
Extracted Areca Fibres
II. LITRATURE REVIEW:
Srinivasa et al., (2013) explored the use of areca
fibres as reinforcing agents in polymer composites
due to benefits such as moderate strength, stiffness
and lower cost.
They characterized the
Biometrical, Physical and Chemical properties of
Areca Fibre. Also they studied the impact behavior
of Areca fibre reinforced polymer composites.
Their study suggests that of fibre surface is a
increases a interfacial bond in the additional
stress been transfered from epoxy matrix for the
fibre for utilization of fibre strength when its is
modified. Both hemicelluloses and pectin materials
play an important role in individual fibre strength
and hence strength of the composite .
Srinivasa C. V. et al., (2011) studied the static
bending and impact behavior of areca fibre
composites. The tests showed the addition of areca
increses the flexural and impact strength with
increase in the fibre loading percentage.
Dhanalakshmi et al., (2011) determined the
tensile strength of individual areca fibre by ASTM
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International Journal of Engineering Trends and Technology (IJETT) – Volume 24 Number 3- June 2015
D3822-01 method as part of their work in finding
the effect of Fibre loading and surface modification
on Tensile Behaviour of Natural Areca
Composites. The tensile strength of the areca fibre
was reported to be 116.93MPa and Young‟s
Modulus at 330MPa.
Based on the literature review an attempt is
made to study the effect of areca fibres in cement
mix.
2.1 OBJECTIVES
The objectives planned for the present work are
1.
To design a highly workable concrete mix
into which the areca fibres at increasing
dosages can be introduced.
2.
To study and evaluate the variation in
compressive strength of cube specimens
with increasing areca fibre dosage.
3.
To study the strength with respect to
curing period.
III. MATERIALS USED AND THEIR
PROPERTIES
3.1. Cement
Ordinary Portland Cement, 53 Grade
manufactured by Ultratech Cement Ltd.,
conforming to IS: 12269-2013 has been used. refer
Table 3.1
Sl. No
1
2
3
4
TABLE 3.1: Cement Parameters
Property
Results
Normal Consistency
32%
Initial Setting Time
124 min
Final Setting Time
253 min
Specific gravity
3.1
3.2. Fly Ash
Fly Ash conforming to Class F, procured
from UPCL, Nandikur, Udupi District was used as
a replacement of OPC by 30% w/w. The Chemical
composition was obtained from UPCL and Specific
Gravity test was performed , refer Table 3.2.
TABLE 3.2: Properties of Fly Ash
Sl
Compounds
%
Other
no.
1
SiO2
44.88
2
Al2O3
21.55
3
Fe2O3
4.71
4
CaO
16.47
Specific
5
MgO
1.24
Gravity =
6
Na2O
0.22
2.2
7
K2O
1.71
Density
=
8
SO3
1.32
21.582
9
Loss on Ignition
2.21
g/cc
10
Cl0.0046
11
Free Lime
0.57
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3.3. Fine Aggregates
fine aggreagates used were from locally
available river conforming to Zone 3 is been used
as a Fine Aggregate. Specific Gravity and Sieve
Analysis Tests were carried , results are tabulated
in Table 3.3.
TABLE 3.3 Properties of Fine aggregate
Sl. no
Property
Results
1.
Bulk density (kg/m3)
1640.0
2.
Specific gravity
2.56
3.
Fineness modulus
3.77
3.4. Coarse Aggregates
Locally available crushed stone aggregate
(10mm down) was used as Coarse Aggregates.
Specific Gravity and Sieve Analysis Tests been
carried out , results tabulated in Table 3.4
TABLE 3.3 Properties of Coarse aggregate
Sl. no. Property
Results
1.
Bulk density (kg/m3)
1742.0
2
Specific gravity
2.70
3
Fineness modulus
4.82
3.5. Super Plasticizer
The super plasticizer used is Auramix 400
manufactured by FOSROC Chemicals (India) Pvt.
Ltd., which complies with IS: 9103-1999(2007).
Auramix 400 is a unique combination of the latest
generation super plasticizers, based on poly
carboxylic ether (PCE) polymer.
3.6. Areca Fibre
Areca husks were collected from an areca
plantation near the town of Vittla (Dakshina
kannada, Karnataka, India). The husks were
chopped into three equal parts where the middle
third is soaked using water for about five days for
loosening the fibres. These fibres were used in the
mixing in saturated surface dry condition. The
parameters pertaining to areca fibres are tabulated
in Table 3.6.
TABLE 3.6: Properties of Areca Fibre
Chemical Composition
Hemi cellulose
35 to 64.8 %
Lignin
13 to 24.8 %
Ash
4.4 %
Physical and Mechanical Properties
Diameter
0.35 mm
Aspect Ratio (L/d)
40 to 70
Density
1.095 g/cc
Water Absorption
60 %
Tensile Strength
116.93 N/mm2
Young‟s Modulus
330 N/mm2
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International Journal of Engineering Trends and Technology (IJETT) – Volume 24 Number 3- June 2015
IV. METHODOLOGY
4.1. Concrete Mix Design
4.3. Mixing and casting
Trials of mix design are carried out on the
general guidelines of IS 10262-2009. The basic
tests for all the ingredients of concrete are carried
out for determining the mix-design parameters. The
methodology for mix design are tabulated in
Table 3.7.
TABLE 3.7: Details of Mix Design
Remarks
kg/m3
Total
Cement
420
Cementitious
Fly Ash
180
V. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
5.1. Compressive Strength:
Content
Constituents
Mixing of ingredients was carried out for
the iterations listed in Table 3.8. Three Cube
specimens 150X150X150 mm were casted to
study the compressive strength at 7 days 14days
and for 28 days of curing for each iteration.
Mix
Content (TCC)
Proportion
Fine Aggregates (FA)
727
1: 1.21:
Coarse Aggregates (CA)
810
1.35
Water
198
@ Water to
Specific weight of
2335
Binder
ratio,
concrete
W/B = 0.33
Compression test for the cube specimens
is been carried using a compression testing
machine With a capacity 2000kN as per IS: 5161959, Figure 2. The loading been carried without
applictaon shock with a rate of 140 kN/sq.cm/min.
A set of 3 cubes were used in determination of
compressive strength for 7 , 14 and 28 days of
curing. Compressive strength was calculated with
the formula given below.
(N/mm2)
Where „f‟ is the compressive strength of
the concrete cube sample. „P‟ is the failure load
and „A‟ is the area of cross section of cube
specimen.
4.2. Design of Experiments
In this study the reference specimen were
casted without any addition of areca fibres with a
Super Plasticizer dosage of 0.6% by weight of
Total Cementitious Content(TCC). Further the
iterations were carried out on this mix by
increasing the fibre dosage and altering the super
plasticizer content for higher fibre dosages. The
iterations performed on reference concrete are
tabulated in Table 3.8
TABLE 3.8 Iterations performed
Constituent
Areca Fibre
s
( kg/m3)
3
Super
Design
plasticizer
ation of
as %
ml/kg
concret
of
of
of
e mix
TCC
TCC
cement
as %
kg/m
FIGURE 2. Compressive Strength Test Set Up
Results of compression test are tabulated
TCC = 600
0
0
0.6
9.5
UT0.0
Cement =
0.5
3
0.6
9.5
UT0.5
in Table 4.2 and Figure 3.
420
1.0
6
0.6
9.5
UT1.0
Fly ash =
1.5
9
0.6
9.5
UT1.5
180
3.0
18
0.8
12.6
UT3.0
FA = 727
5.0
30
1.0
14.3
UT5.0
It can be seen from figure 3 that the
optimum fibre dosage for the reference mix design
is at 1% of TCC. The gain in compressive strength
due to 1% fibres is about 8.43% for 7 days curing
and 7.45% for 28 days curing.
CA = 810
Water = 198
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International Journal of Engineering Trends and Technology (IJETT) – Volume 24 Number 3- June 2015
3.
M. C. Nataraja, “Fibre Reinforced
Concrete-Behaviour Properties and Application” .
Specimen
Average compressive strength
4.
IS 383-1970(2002), “Specification for
Coarse and Fine Aggregates from Natural Sources
Designation
(N/mm2)
for Concrete”.
7days
14days
28days
5.
IS:
10262-2009,
“Recommended
Guidelines
for
Concrete
Mix
Design”.
UT0.0
37.03
45.2
55.56
6.
IS: 12269-2013, Ordinary Portland
UT0.5
37.77
46.7
56.59
Cement, 53 Grade-Specification.
UT1.0
40.15
47.2
59.7
7.
IS: 456-2000, “Plain and Reinforced
UT1.5
30.37
34.2
45.33
Concrete Code of Practice”.
UT3.0
25.48
28.2
37.04
8.
IS: 516-1959(1999), “Methods of Tests
UT5.0
21.78
24.7
30.96
for Strength of Concrete, Edition 1.2”.
9.
IS: 9103-1999(2007),
10.
MS Shetty, Concrete Technology, 13th
edition, 527.
11.
Saandeepani
Vajje,
Dr.
N.
R.
Krishnamurthy, Study on Addition of the Natural
Fibres into Concrete, “International Journal of
Scientific & Technology Research”, Vol.2, 11,
2013.
12.
Srinivasa C.V. et al., “Static Bending and
Impact Behaviour of Areca Fibres Composites,
Materials and Design”, 32, 2011, 2469-2475.
13.
Srinivasa C.V., Bharath K.N., “Effect of
Alkali Treatment on Impact Behaviour of Areca
Fibres Reinforced Polymer Composites, Indian
Journal of Chemical”, Nuclear, Metallurgical and
Figure 3. Variation in compressive strength with curing Materials Engineering, Vol.7, No.4, 2013 Fibre
Reinforced Concrete, The Concrete Institute,
period.
Midrand, 2013.
14.
Vinayak B , M. N. Mangulkar, “Flexural
VI. CONCLUSION
Behaviour of Self Compacting High Strength Fibre
In the present study areca fibres reinforced
Reinforced Concrete (SCHSFRC)”, International
concrete mix was developed with an idea that the
Journal of Engineering Research and Applications
mechanical properties of concrete would be
(IJERA), Vol.3,4,2013,2503-2505.
improved. Based on the tests conducted and results
obtained, following conclusions is given below.
1.
with the increase in the fibre dosage The
workability of the concrete mix decreased in a non
linear pattern.
2.
The compressive strength increased by
about 8% at an optimum fibre dosage of 1% of
Total Cementitious Content.
3.
The fibre distribution in the matrix was
satisfactory for fibre dosage up to 1.5%, beyond
which balling and clumping were encountered in
fresh as well as hardened state.
4.
Introduction of fibre modifies the
behaviour of concrete from brittle to ductile as
indicated by modes of failure.
TABLE 4.2 Compressive Strength
V REFERENCE
1.
Auramix
400
Data
Sheet,
India/2014/0127/A
2.
Dhanalaksmi et al., Effect of Fibre
Loading and Surface Modification on Tensile
Behaviour of Natural Areca Composites, Ciencia e
Tecnica (ISSN: 0254-0223), 29 (8), 99-114.
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