Experimental Study on Triaxial Compressive Mechanical Properties of Polypropylene Fiber Coral Seawater Concrete

Materials (Basel). 2022 Jun 15;15(12):4234. doi: 10.3390/ma15124234.

Abstract

In order to study the mechanical properties of polypropylene fiber all-coral seawater concrete in triaxial compression, 36 specimens were developed and constructed for triaxial compression load testing employing confining pressure value (0, 6, 12, 18 MPa) and polypropylene fiber admixture (1 kg·m-3, 2 kg·m-3, 3 kg·m-3) as variation parameters. The test observed the failure mode of the specimen and obtained the stress-strain curve of the whole process of its force damage failure. An in-depth analysis of polypropylene fiber all-coral seawater concrete's peak stress, peak strain, initial elastic modulus, axial deflection, energy dissipation, ductility, and damage evolution process was carried out based on the experimental data. The test findings indicated that the best effect on the deformation properties of polypropylene fiber all-coral seawater concrete is obtained when 3 kg·m-3 of polypropylene fiber is blended. Under triaxial compression, the correct number of polypropylene fibers may significantly enhance the peak stress, peak strain, ductility, and elastic modulus of polypropylene fiber all-coral seawater concrete, therefore enhancing the brittle characteristics of coral concrete. During the triaxial surround pressure test, the confining pressure value and polypropylene fiber coupling effect delayed the appearance of initial damage in polypropylene fiber complete coral seawater concrete specimens, slowed the development of damage, and reduced the degree of damage to the specimens.

Keywords: all-coral seawater concrete; confining pressure value; fiber dose; lightweight structural concrete; polypropylene fiber; triaxially pressurized.