Basalt fiber concrete investigation of mechanical properties and permeability

Toughness and tensile strength of cement based materials are low. Fiber that used to decrease or prevent cracking in the cement matrix can change the fast and uncontrolled development of the cracks into the slow and controlled cracks. When natural sourced basalt fibers are used in the concrete, bending strength and fracture energy increases with reference to plain concrete and splitting tensile strength of the concrete make progress in a significant way. Beside of the basalt fibers are natural, they are also economical when manufacturing process are considered. In this study; concrete with basalt fibers and concrete with glass fibers are compared with each other to determine how mechanical and physical properties are developed with reference to plain concrete. In accordance with this purpose, concrete samples with and without fibers are produced that have water cement ratio 0.45, 300 dosage and substituted with flying ash by % 10. Basalt and glass fibers with 12 mm diameter are used in this study with the percentage by volume %0, %0.25, %0.50, %0.75 and %1. Workability is kept constant by using the water reducer admixtures at different rates. Using basalt fibers did not affect the compressive strength in a negative way but it increases the tensile strength, toughness and fracture energy. In comparison, usage of basalt and glass fibers have the almost similar effects on the concrete but basalt fibers may be preferred not only they're natural but also in an economical point of view. Usage of fibers did not affect the chlorine permeability and water permeability in a negative way apart from percentage of fibers that used in particular volumes. As a result of the study; while the technology is going further in this century, insufficient mechanical properties of concrete can be improved by using basalt fibers that are kind of economical and natural fibers.