Study of the fresh and hardened properties of fiber self-compacting concrete

Self-compacting concrete (SCC). was developed about four decades before since that time it has been used very scarcely due to a number of problems including : separation, lack of flowability and filling ability, high cracking potential, and thereupon low compressive and tensile strength. In this study, properties of SCC containing viscosity modifying agent, steel and polypropylene fibers were investigated. polypropylene fibers with dosages of 0.1, 0.125, 0.20, 0.150, 0.185, 0.205, and hook end steel fibers with volume fractions of 0.5, 1, 1.5, 0.2 and 2.5 were employed; fresh and hardened SCC were examined. The results of the fresh concrete tests revealed that rise of the both fiber types reduces the slump flow and raises the T50 time. In the V-funnel test, the time shortened with polypropylene fibers up to dosage of 1.25%, and then soars. Growing steel fibers elongate the time of the V-funnel test. Adding both types of the fibers reduces the passing ability of concrete in the L box test. Hardened concrete tests indicated that the compressive strength is falling by rising the dosage of steel fibers. The compressive strength at the age of 7 and 28 days improves up to the polypropylene fiber dosage of 1.50% and then declines. At the age of 90 days, strength trend changes in dosage of 0.1. Tensile strength grows as the both fibers increase. The crack test results show that the length and width of the cracks lower with the growth of the fibers. Adding steel fibers boosts the number of cracks