Concrete reinforced with various amounts of steel fibers reclaimed from end-of-life tires

Silesian University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Department of Structural Engineering, Gliwice, Poland

^* Corresponding author: malgorzata.pajak@polsl.pl

Abstract

The main objective of the paper was to provide more information about the influence of fibers coming from the end-of-life tires on the behaviour of concrete. Because of their untypical geometrical characteristic they are not eagerly applied as concrete reinforcement. Considering the amount of used tires, the management of this waste would he beneficial for the environment. The paper deals with the typical floor concrete reinforced with three dosages of fibers equal to: 30kg/m³, 40kg/m³ and 60kg/m³. The compressive and flexural mechanical parameters of RSFC were studied. The waste fibers with the shape dissimilar to manufactured fibers did not have a negative effect on the properties of the mix in a fresh state. The compressive strength was slightly affected by the fibers, meanwhile the pronounced influence of RSF on the post-peak flexural parameters was noted. Those parameters increased proportionally with the amount of fibers. However, the scatters in the flexural tests results were increasing with the fibers content. The investigations indicate that the fibers from the end-of-life tires could he applied as a concrete reinforcement. The values of flexural parameters which can be further applied to structural calculations were shown.