High-Temperature Behavior of Polyethylene-Terephthalate-Fiber-Reinforced Sand Concrete: Experimental Investigation

Abstract

At ambient temperature, concrete exhibits excellent mechanical properties. However, understanding the behavior of concrete under high-temperature conditions is crucial, especially for civil engineering applications during fire incidents. The growing use of plastic-based products has led to a significant increase in polymer waste, posing environmental challenges. The valorization of this plastic waste in the form of fibers presents both economic and environmental advantages. This study focuses on the study of the behavior of sand concrete incorporating polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers with percentages of 1% and 2% at high temperatures (100, 300, 500 and 700 °C). Specimens are tested for residual mass loss, residual compressive and tensile strength. A complementary analysis of SEM makes it possible to confirm and better clarify the morphology of the concretes of sand before and after the rise in temperature. The results obtained from this study indicate that the residual resistance is reduced with the rise in temperature for all the concretes studied, except in the temperature range of 300 °C, in which a slight improvement in resistance is noticed. The incorporation of PET fibers in the test concretes does not enhance their residual behavior significantly. However, it does serve as an effective solution by reducing the susceptibility to spalling, by preventing cracking and by fulfilling a similar role to that of polypropylene fibers.