Journal of Emerging Trends in Engineering and Applied Sciences: Research Areas

Abstract:
Sandcrete block in spite of its low compressive strength and its deficiencies in other properties such as tensile strength, permeability and impact resistance is still a dominant construction material in Nigeria. One of the materials used to improve the properties of concrete is fibres. Consequently, this work examines the use of polypropylene fibres to improve the compressive strength of sandcrete blocks. This involves the reinforcement of sandcrete blocks with twisted polypropylene fibres of length 50mm, 75mm and 100mm respectively at 5 different volume fractions of 1 per cent, 2 per cent, 3 per cent, 4 per cent and 5 per cent, and 5 different water/cement ratios of 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7 and 0.8. Analyses of the results showed that, addition of fibre increased the compressive strength from 2.236 per cent to 35.783 per cent and it is dependent on the length, volume fraction of fibre and water/cement ratio. The optimum compressive strength is dependent on the water/cement ratio, volume fraction of fibre and fibre length. Water/cement ratio of 0.6 produced strength above 3.0N/mm2 than any other water/cement ratio in all the length and volume fraction of fibre examined.

Keywords: compressive strength, water/cement ratio, polypropylene fibre, sandcrete

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