Impact resistance of oil palm shells concrete reinforced with polypropylene fibre: Fid-Bau Portal

Impact resistance of oil palm shells concrete reinforced with polypropylene fibre

Yahaghi, Javad / Muda, Zakaria Che / Beddu, Salmia Bnt

Highlights • Total of 36 sample was prepared by cutting the cube specimens which is a new suggested method for preparing the samples. • Different volume fractions of polypropylene (PP) fibre and various thickness were investigate. • There was a strong linear relation between volume fraction of PP fibre and impact resistance as well as crack resistance ratio and this relation was indefeasible by changing the thickness from 20mm to 30mm and 40mm. • Increasing the thickness improves the impact resistance significantly, but the effect was more pronounced for ultimate failure crack resistance than the first crack resistance. • The optimum ductility has been offered by specimens with 0.3% VF of PP fibre and 30mm thickness.

Abstract This study examines the results from an investigation on the impact resistance of oil palm shells (OPS) concrete. The use of OPS as a substitute for regular aggregate in lightweight concrete will help reduce its negative environmental influence. There is a lack of research on the impact resistance and crack behaviour of concrete; specifically in OPS lightweight concrete reinforced by polypropylene (PP) fibre. The replication of a low-velocity projectile effect on slab samples was achieved by dropping two types of steel ball (weighing 0.380kg and 1.25kg), with drop height of 360mm, through the utilization of a self-fabricated drop-weight impact test rig. A total of 12 cube specimens, with dimensions 100×100×100mm, were used to prepare 36 slabs with various thicknesses. The 36 slabs were prepared using a concrete cutting machine to excise the three cube specimens from each mixture, into 20, 30 and 40mm thicknesses. Impact resistance tests were then performed on them. The results demonstrate that there was a strong linear relation between volume fraction of PP fibre and impact resistance; as well as crack resistance ratio. This relation was indefeasible by changing the thickness from 20mm to 30mm and 40mm. Although increasing the thickness improved the impact resistance significantly, the effect was more pronounced for ultimate failure crack resistance than for first crack resistance.