EFFECT OF ADDING SISAL FIBER AND IRAQI BAUXITE ON SOME PROPERTIES OF CONCRETE

Abstract

This investigation aim to study the effect of sisal fiber addition on the different properties of concrete, also to study the use of the Iraqi bauxite for the first time in Iraq as a pozzolanic material. Sisal fiber was used at three percentages of total mix volume (0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5%), Iraqi bauxite was used in three percentages (10%, 20% and 30%) as a partial replacement by weight of cement. This paper studied the effect of Sisal fiber and the Iraqi Bauxite on the mechanical properties which represented by the compressive strength, flexural strength, splitting strength, impact resistance for tiles, also the ultrasonic pulse velocity test which is one of the non-destructive testes, the pH level and water absorptions has been done. The results from this study showing that the concrete reinforced with sisal fiber and using Iraqi bauxite exhibited improvement in flexural strength and splitting tensile strength while a small reduction in compressive strength was reported. The results showed also improvement in the impact resistance. Adding of sisal fiber made a reduction in the ultrasonic pulse velocity. The results showed that this kind of concrete reported a reduction in water absorption in comparative with reference concrete reinforced with fibers only. The use of bauxite as a partial replacement of cement reduced the alkalinity of concrete reinforced with fiber and that would improve its durability. From the results of this investigation, found that concrete reinforced with 1.0% of sisal fiber give the best results and using Iraqi Bauxite with 20% as a partial replacement by weight of cement enhanced the properties of reinforced concrete with sisal fiber.