Behavior of Polypropylene Fiber Reinforced Concrete under Impact Loads and Explosive

Abstract

One of the important advantages of polypropylene fiber reinforced concrete is its resistance to impact loads and explosives.The paper presents further experiments on the behavior of plates reinforced with polypropylene fibers and their resistance to impact loads and explosives.The published literature on the subject is scarce and it is difficult to obtain most of them as they are confidential and restricted.Concrete specimens reinforced with polypropylene fibers were tested using Charpy impact apparatus in addition plates of polypropylene fiber reinforced concrete containing up to 2% Vol. fraction of fibers were tested using flat ended cylindrical projectiles.The behavior of the plates was discussed with reference to the velocity and the cracks according on both sides.The results of the experiments confirmed that polypropylene fiber reinforced concrete has a high resistance to impact and withstands high velocity waves of explosives depending on volume fracture of fibers. The plates with fiber contents (1-2)% remained intact with hair cracks compared to unreinforced specimens which shattered to several pieces.