Investigating The Load Carrying Capacities of Lightweight Foamed Concrete Strengthen with Fiber Mesh

Abstract

Lightweight foamed concrete (LFC)iswell known as a low-density concrete witha wide range of applications. However, since its weightisalmost half that of conventional concrete, its strength can also be expected to be lower than that of normal concrete. Thus, short fibres (synthetic and natural fibres) were used by previous researchers to improve the performance of LFC. Even though therewere improvements in its mechanical properties, yet these had a negative impact on its durability in the long term due to the deterioration of the fibres.Recently, the use of fibermeshasa reinforcing element has gained considerable attention.Thus, the aim of this research was to perform anexperimental investigation to establish the load carrying capacitiesof fiber meshreinforced LFC. In this research, LFC specimenswere designed withdensities of 650 kg/m3, 1150 kg/m3and1650 kg/m3with a constant cement-to-sandratio of 1:1.5, and cement-to-water ratio of0.45. The fiber meshselected for this research hasaweightper area of 145g/m2. The number of layer(s)for the observed confinement was detaileddown to its effect on the performance of the LFC. The load carrying capacitiesof the LFCwereexamined undercompression, bending and tension. Overall, the reinforcement with fiber meshimproved theload carrying capacitiesof the LFC.A confinement with 3 layers of fibermeshshowed significant results, where enhancements of 153% (650 kg/m3), 97% (1150kg/m3), and 102% (1650 kg/m3) were obtained for the load carrying capacity in compression; 372% (650 kg/m3), 258% (1150 kg/m3), and 332%(1650 kg/m3) for theload carrying capacity in bending; and 507% (650 kg/m3), 343% (1150 kg/m3), and 332% (1650 kg/m3) for theload carrying capacity in tension, respectively, compared to the control LFC.