Mechanical Properties of Recycled Concrete with Polypropylene Fiber and Its Bonding Performance with Rebars

Abstract

This paper explores the influence of polypropylene fiber on the mechanical properties of recycled concrete and the bonding performance between recycled concrete and steel bars. The results indicate that the compressive strength and splitting tensile strength of concrete decrease with the increase in the replacement rate of recycled aggregate. When the replacement rate of recycled aggregate was 100 %, the compressive strength of concrete decreased by 25.0%, while the splitting tensile strength of concrete decreased by 21.7 %. The compressive strength and splitting tensile strength of recycled aggregate concrete show a trend of first increasing and then decreasing with increasing fiber content. When the fiber content is 0.09 %, the compressive strength and tensile strength of recycled aggregate concrete are optimal. The bond strength of recycled concrete pullout specimens with fiber is higher than that of recycled concrete pullout specimens without fiber, while the slip of recycled concrete pullout specimens with fiber is lower than that of recycled concrete pullout specimens without fiber. The maximum improvement in bonding performance between recycled concrete and rebars with a 50 % recycled aggregate replacement rate is 13.7 %, and the maximum improvement in bonding performance between recycled concrete and rebars with a 100 % recycled aggregate replacement rate is 11.8 %. The bond strength shows a trend of first increasing and then decreasing with increasing fiber content, but the degree of decrease was not significant, while the slip shows a trend of first decreasing and then increasing with increasing fiber content. Compared to the compressive strength of concrete, the splitting tensile strength can better reflect the bond strength between concrete and rebar. The nonlinear relationship between the bond strength, compressive strength, and splitting tensile strength of recycled concrete is established. This study can effectively improve the mechanical properties of recycled concrete, expand the application scope of recycled concrete technology, and promote the sustainable development of the construction industry.