Polypropylene Fiber Reinforced Concrete for Rigid Airfield Pavement

Abstract

The effect of adding polypropylene fibers; with different shapes and volume fractions; on the compressive strength, modulus of rupture, load-deflection curve and flexural toughness (equivalent flexural strength ratio) of concrete was investigated. Crimped and twisted polypropylene fibers were used with 0.0%, 0.2%, 0.4% and 0.6% volume fractions. It was found that the compressive strength, flexural strength and the equivalent flexural strength ratio of concrete increased about 11%, 25% and 40% respectively by adding 0.6% volume fraction of twisted polypropylene fiber. In addition; it was found that the contribution of polypropylene fiber to the flexural strength and flexural toughness was more effective when twisted polypropylene fiber was added comparing to crimped polypropylene fibers. The experimental results were used in numerical example using FAARFIELD program to explore the airfield pavement thickness reduction resulted from polypropylene fiber incorporation.