Microstructural Study And Durability Characteristics Of Alccofine-Concrete Reinforced With Polypropylene Fibre

Abstract

The addition of cementitious materials as a replacement for Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) is the most common solution to reduce carbon emissions. Research studies have involved various cementitious materials and examined their properties. However, cementitious concrete exhibits greater brittleness, and its durability remains an area of ongoing study. In the present work, the concrete mix is developed with cement and alccofine reinforced by polypropylene fibre at the weight fraction of 0.1% to 0.4%. The developed concretes are tested for their durability through water absorption tests, acid resistance tests (H₂SO₄), and porosity tests. The concrete specimens are prepared and tested based on the test standards. The microstructural study is carried out on the concrete samples through SEM and EDAX images. The experimental study showed that the cement-alccofine mixture with 0.2% polypropylene fiber showed better durability characteristics with less water absorption, lower weight loss, and less change in dimension than the control mix.