Exposure to elevated temperatures and cooled under different regimes-a study on polypropylene concrete

Abstract

Fire is one of the most destructive powers to which a building structure can be subjected, often exposing concrete elements to elevated temperatures. The relative properties of concrete after such an exposure are of significant importance in terms of the serviceability of buildings. Unraveling the heating history of concrete and different cooling regimes is important for forensic research or to determine whether a fire-exposed concrete structure and its components are still structurally sound or not. Assessment of fire-damaged concrete structures usually starts with visual observation of colour change, cracking and spalling. Thus, it is important to know the effect of elevated temperatures on strength retention properties of concrete. This study reports the effect of elevated temperature on the mechanical properties of the concrete specimen with polypropylene fibres and cooled differently under various regimes. In the heating cycle, the specimen were subjected to elevated temperatures ranging from 200°C to 800°C, in steps of 200°C with a retention period of 1 hour. Then they were cooled to room temperature differently. The cooling regimes studied include, furnace cooling, air cooling and sudden cooling. After exposure to elevated temperatures and cooled differently, the weight loss, residual compressive and split tensile strengths retention characteristics were studied. Test results indicated that weight and both compressive and tensile strengths significantly reduce, with an increase in temperature and are strongly dependent on cooling regimes adopted.