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ALTERNATIVE TO SYNTHETIC FIBER FOR

SELF-COMPACTING CONCRETE IN THE PHILIPPINES

Stephen John C. Clemente(1*), Jason Maximino C.Onpeng(1), Bernardo A. Lejano(2), Florante D.


Poso.Jr. (2), Jaysoon D. Macmac(2), John Bryan D.Tiu(2), Rafael D. Reymundo(2), Faye Angelou R.
Ñunez(2), Hannah Lou B. Argota(2), Villamor D. Abad(2), Nimfa S. Tabucal(2)

(1*) Project Leader, MSCRAP-FRSCC Asst. Professor, FEU Institute of Technology, [email protected]
(1) Associate Vice Chancellor for Campus Development, De La Salle University, [email protected]

Abstract : Fiber reinforcement is one of the technological advancements in the concrete industry. Fiber can be added to the
concrete to improve the durability as well as the strength of self-compacting concrete (SCC). There are a lot of types of
synthetic fiber that are commercially available but it comes at a higher cost and is sometimes, not readily available to small
consumers. Materials for Sustainable Construction and Recyclables Applied to Projects-Development of Fiber Reinforced Self-
Compacting Concrete (MSCRAP-FRSCC) is DOST-GIA-funded research that aims to develop different fibers from natural
and recycled materials as a substitute for synthetic fibers. Because of the higher workability requirements for SCC, this
research tested different lengths and dosages of fibers. The first phase of this research is the extraction and curing of different
fibers. The second phase is the rheological tests, slump flow for flowability, L-box for passing ability, GTM for segregation
resistance, and 28th-day compressive strength. All fibers except coir (dosage of 1%, 1.5%, and 2%) and steel tire (1%, 2%, and
3%) waste have lengths of 20mm, 35mm, and 55mm. Natural fibers need processing such as extraction, softening, and
chemical curing to be able to use as a fiber in concrete. The original process needed for natural fibers for textile use can be
altered to decrease the overall cost. Recycled fibers are as good as synthetic fibers in terms of tensile strength but need
processes such as collection, sorting, cleaning, and cutting. The natural fibers needed to be soaked in 5% NaOH solution for 24
hours and dried before cutting to the desired length. Steel tire waste has the most potential due to its high tensile strength but
needs machinery for easier and faster extraction. PET bottles are so abundant and most of it is not recycled. These bottles can
be converted easily to fibers with the development of machines. There are now NGOs that focus on the collection of plastics
which can help the recycling plant and also future enterprises in fiber manufacturing. Natural fibers are commonly soft and
easy to bend especially when added to the concrete mix. Abaca and banana fibers with lengths of 20mm and 35mm pass the
requirement of slump flow which is a minimum of 550mm in diameter. All-natural fibers did not significantly affect the
segregation resistance of SCC since they absorb the excess water of the mixture. The problem with the natural fiber especially
with banana and coir is it negatively affects the passing ability of concrete. Abaca with a length of 20mm shows potential for
SCC since it all passes the requirement of rheology as well as shows the highest compressive strength of 45.08Mpa compared
to other natural fibers. For recycled fibers, Steel tire waste varying dosages of 1% to 3% and PET bottles with lengths of 20mm
and 35mm by weight of cement passed the requirement of rheology. All lengths of aluminum fibers did not pass the
requirement for the passing ability of SCC. The steel tire waste shows better compressive strength compared to PET bottles
with strengths of 44.18Mpa and 39.78Mpa respectively. Among natural fibers, abaca shows the potential as an alternative to
synthetic fibers for SCC since it passes the requirement for rheology and compressive strength and is considered the cheapest
because of the existing technology for extraction as well as abundant sources throughout the country.

Keywords : self-compacting concrete, natural fiber, waste fiber

1 INTRODUCTION In the Philippines, the use of fiber reinforcement is


uncommon for most projects. There are several reasons why
Self-compacting concrete (SCC) is a new type of concrete contractors hesitate to use this technology. The first is the
with better workability than normal concrete. SCC can be additional cost involved in the addition of fiber to the
achieved by using finer materials like smaller coarse concrete (Aidarov et al, 2022). Second, is the lack of
aggregate size, higher amount of sand and cement, and by understanding and familiarity with this technology. And
the addition of chemical admixtures such as superplasticizer third, the availability of fiber in most areas in the country.
and viscosity agents (Clemente et al, 2015). The water
content of SCC is typically lower than other types of This research explores the alternative to commercially
concrete, thus improving its porosity and mechanical available fibers using natural and waste materials. Natural
properties. According to research, the SCC is deficient in fibers such as abaca, banana, and coir were processed and
cracking resistance because of the smaller aggregate size. By transformed into fiber suitable for concrete. Waste materials
adding fibers, the cracking resistance and durability of SCC such as PET bottles, steel tire waste, and aluminum cans
can be improved. The only problem with the addition of were also processed into fibers. The rheological properties
fiber is its unfavorable effect on the workability of concrete and compressive strength of SCCs with different fibers were
(Zeyad, 2020). tested. Statistical analyses such as regression and p-value
1
were calculated for further investigation of the effect of fiber
in rheology and compressive strength.

2 MATERIAL AND METHODOLOGY

2.1 Materials
This research used Type 1 Portland Cement with an initial
and final setting time of 2 hours and 8.5 hours respectively.
Superplasticizer (SP) used was Sika Viscocrete 4000PH with
a specific gravity of 1.09kg/L which conforms to the
standard of ASTM C494 Type G, a polycarboxylate ether-
based superplasticizer. The coarse aggregate used is a Figure 1. Slump Flow Test
crushed aggregate with a maximum size of 3/8 inches. Table 1. SCC Specification for Flowability

The abaca and bamboo fibers were bought from Bukidnon, Class Slump-flow in mm
the Philippines through the assistance of the Philippine Fiber SF1 550 to 650
Industry Development Authority. These natural fibers were
cut into the required lengths and then soaked for 24 hours in SF2 660 to 750
a 5% NaOH solution. After soaking, the fibers were then SF3 760 to 850
washed thoroughly with water and then dried for 1-2 days in
the natural sunlight.
VS1/VF1 is classified as a good filling ability because of
PET bottles used in this research is a polyethylene less viscosity in the paste. This mixture is capable of self-
terephthalate. It is commonly used in soft drinks, juice, and leveling but is prone to bleeding and segregation. VS2/VF2
water containers. PET bottles and aluminum cans fiber is classified as a viscous mixture, with less probability of
needed processing before converting into fibers. Sorting is bleeding and segregation but less filling ability. Blowholes
the first step before cleaning and drying. The researchers may be experienced that can affect the surface finish of the
used a mechanical paper shredder and scissors in cutting concrete (Concrete, 2005).
these materials into the required length. The width of the Table 2. SCC Specification for Viscosity
fibers was about one to two millimeters. Steel tire waste was
Class T50, s
extracted from the used tires using cutters. The steel cables
were then cleaned to remove the rubber residue. These VS1/VF1 2
cables were then cut into the desired length.
VS2/VF2 >2
2.2 Slump Flow and Flow Ability
The procedures for the slump flow (SF) test and T50 were 2.3 L-Box
based on the standard of EFNARC. Abrams cone is used The PA1 class is used for vertical structures with high
together with the acrylic platform one by one meter in size. congestion of rebar (80mm to 100mm) while PA2 is for civil
A meter stick is used to measure the two-perpendicular engineering structures with gaps of 60mm to 80mm
diameter of the concrete. (Concrete, 2005).

There were three classes of SCC in terms of slump flow. SF1


SCC is used for unreinforced or slightly reinforced
structures for example in tunnel linings, deep foundations,
and pumpcrete. SF2 is suitable for walls and columns and
SF3 is for vertical structures with high congestion of
reinforcement (Concrete, 2005).

Figure 2. L-Box Test


Table 3. SCC Specification for Passing Ability
Class Passing ability
PA1 0.8 with 2 bars
PA2 0.80 with 3 bars

2
Table 5. Mixture of SCC with Abaca Fiber
Fiber Length Cement Water SP Gravel Sand ( SF T50 GTM fc'
L-Box
% (mm) (kg) (kg) (%) (kg) kg) (mm) (sec) (%) (Mpa)
1.5 25 465 220 1.2 780 680 685 3 0.83 0.1 45.08
1.5 35 465 220 1.2 780 680 675 3 0.79 0.63 40.96
1.5 55 465 220 1.2 780 680 580 3.5 0.62 0.33 37.81
Table 7. Mixture of SCC with Banana Fiber
Fiber Length Cement Water SP Gravel Sand ( SF T50 GTM fc'
L-Box
% (mm) (kg) (kg) (%) (kg) kg) (mm) (sec) (%) (Mpa)
0.5 25 465 220 1.2 780 680 622.5 1.84 0.64 ND 35.5
0.5 35 465 220 1.2 780 680 677.5 1.92 0.32 ND 34.96
0.5 55 465 220 1.2 780 680 500 7.2 0 ND 29.15
Table 9. Mixture of SCC with Coir Fiber
Fiber Length Cement Water SP Gravel Sand ( SF T50 GTM fc'
L-Box
% (mm) (kg) (kg) (%) (kg) kg) (mm) (sec) (%) (Mpa)
1 25 465 220 1.2 780 680 645 1.2 0.74 ND 37.96
1.5 25 465 220 1.2 780 680 602.5 3.0 0.67 ND 37.04
2 25 465 220 1.2 780 680 535 4.5 0.68 ND 32.51
Table 11. Mixture of SCC with Steel Tire Waste Fiber
Fiber Length Cement Water SP Gravel Sand ( SF T50 GTM fc'
L-Box
% (mm) (kg) (kg) (%) (kg) kg) (mm) (sec) (%) (Mpa)
1 25 465 209 1.2 780 680 775 1.5 0.89 7.93 41.65
1.5 25 465 209 1.2 780 680 665 2 0.87 3.64 43.55
2 25 465 209 1.2 780 680 775 1.5 0.82 4.4 47.35
Table 13. Mixture of SCC with PET Bottles Fiber
Fiber Length Cement Water SP Gravel Sand ( SF T50 GTM fc'
L-Box
% (mm) (kg) (kg) (%) (kg) kg) (mm) (sec) (%) (Mpa)
1 25 465 209 1.2 780 680 710 1 0.842 ND 36.84
1 35 465 209 1.2 780 680 675 1.78 0.81 ND 42.98
1 55 465 209 1.2 780 680 655 1.71 0.382 ND 45.53
Table 15. Mixture of SCC with Aluminum Can Fi
Fiber Length Cement Water SP Gravel Sand ( SF T50 GTM fc'
L-Box
% (mm) (kg) (kg) (%) (kg) kg) (mm) (sec) (%) (Mpa)
1 25 465 209 1.2 780 680 680 1.92 0.762 ND 25.269
1 35 465 209 1.2 780 680 710 0.94 0.736 ND 35.113
1 55 465 209 1.2 780 680 630 3.81 0.438 ND 39.214

3
2.4 GTM Screen Stability The length of the fiber significantly affects the passing
SR1 is for a general application like slabs and vertical ability and compressive strength of the concrete according to
application with a flow distance less than 5m because this Table 6 wherein the p-values of 0.042 and 0.017 are less
mixture is more susceptible to segregation. The confinement than 0.05. The R-square value of the fiber length is 0.975 for
gap shall be greater than 80mm. SR2 is preferred for the compressive strength.
structures with a flow distance of more than 5 meters with a
confinement gap greater than 80mm (Concrete, 2005). Table 6. Statistical Analysis of Abaca Fib
L-
SF T50 GTM fc’
Box
RSquare 0.879 0.818 0.933 0.128 0.975
Fiber
Length 0.226 0.281 0.042 0.768 0.017
(Prob)
Intercept
Figure 3. GTM Screen Stability Test 760.135 2.622 0.972 0.1555 48.8
(Estimate)
Table 4. SCC Specification for Segregation
Fiber
Class Segregation Resistance in %
Length -3.095 0.015 -0.006 0.005 -0.205
SR1 20
(Estimate)
SR2 15
3.3 Banana Fiber
2.5 Compressive Strength Banana fiber is softer as compared to abaca fiber. The strand
This research used a 100mm diameter by 200mm in height of banana fiber is thinner and can easily bend when added to
cylindrical specimen for the compressive strength. The concrete. As observed during mixing, the fiber tends balling
concrete was cured for 28 days after mixing. A rubber effect, especially for longer fibers. The researchers opted to
capping was used in the exchange of sulfur or gypsum exclude the test for segregation resistance since the control
capping. A universal testing machine with a capacity of mixture surpasses the requirement for GTM, adding fiber
1000kn was used for this test. The diameter and height of the will not affect negatively the segregation of the SCC.
specimen were measured before testing. This test conforms
to the standard of ASTM C39. As shown in Table 8, the length of the fiber significantly
affects the passing ability of the SCC. The Regression model
3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION for L-box has an R-square of 0.993 and a p-value of 0.524.
increasing the length of fiber decreases the compressive
3.1 Tensile Strength of Fibers strength of the SCC. This is because of the possible balling
The following are the estimated tensile strength of each fiber. effect that increases the possibility of voids inside the
For abaca fiber, the tensile strength is between 400-980Mpa concrete.
(Saragih et al, 2019), 529-914Mpa (Bharathi et al, 2021) for
banana, 15-327Mpa (Ramakrishna et al, 2005) for coir, Table 8. Statistical Analysis of Banana Fibe
1260Mpa (Zhang and Gao, 2020) for steel tire waste, and
155Mpa (Marthong, 2018) for PET bottles. SF T50 L-Box fc’
RSquare 0.537 0.828 0.993 0.872
3.2 Abaca Fiber
Different lengths of abaca fiber were added to the SCC Fiber
mixture. According to Table 6, increasing the length of abaca
Length 0.477 0.273 0.0524 0.232
fiber will decrease the flowability, passing ability, and
compressive strength of concrete. Since the abaca fiber (Prob)
bends easily as compared to steel and polypropylene fibers,
Intercept
the strands of the abaca entangle with the bars of the L-box. 738.98 -2.182 0.986 40.072
Only 25mm length of fiber surpasses the requirement of all (Estimate)
rheological properties of SCC. The fiber length does not
Fiber
affect the segregation resistance of the SCC. Since the abaca
fiber does not have a tensile strength comparable to steel Length -3.791 0.159 -0.018 -0.187
fiber, it is advisable to use short-length fiber to properly
(Estimate)
distribute the fiber into the concrete and prevent the balling
effect.
4
3.4 Equation Table 12. Statistical Analysis of Steel Tire Waste Fibe
Coir fiber is the softest and has the lowest tensile strength
among these three fibers. Coir fiber can easily disintegrate. SF T50 L-Box GTM fc’
The researchers opted to test the dosage of this fiber instead RSquare 0 0 0.942 0.594 0.964
of the length since it is difficult to cut a longer strand
because of the uniform diameter of this fiber. As shown in Fiber
Table 9, the dosage of the fiber decreases the slump flow Length 1.0 1.0 0.154 0.440 0.121
because of the increase in viscosity of the SCC mixture. The
increase in the dosage also decreases the compressive (Prob)
strength. As expected, the increase in the dosage also Intercept
reduces the passing ability of the SCC. 738.33 1.667 0.93 8.853 38.483
(Estimate)
As shown in Table 10, the fiber dosage significantly affects
Fiber
the viscosity of the mixture. Natural fibers such as coir can
be used as viscosity agents in the concrete to prevent Length 0 0 -0.035 -1.765 2.85
bleeding and segregation. It is not advisable to use a higher
(Estimate)
dosage of coir fiber since it hurts the flowability, passing
ability, and compressive strength.
3.6 PET Bottles
Table 10. Statistical Analysis of Coir Fiber PET fiber has varying lengths of 25mm, 35mm, and 55mm
with a fixed dosage of 1% by weight of cement. As shown in
SF T50 L-Box fc’
Table 13, the three mixtures passed the requirement for
RSquare 0.983 0.997 0.628 0.872 slump flow. On the other hand, L-box results were affected
especially for a fiber length of 55mm. Unlike in natural
Fiber fibers, increasing the length of the fiber increases the
Dosage 0.083 0.033 0.418 0.233 compressive strength of the SCC. This is because of the
higher tensile strength of this type of fiber and needs a
(Prob) longer length to increase the bond between the fiber and the
Intercept concrete. The surface of PET fibers is smooth as compared
759.167 -2.05 0.787 44.012 to other types of fiber.
(Estimate)
Fiber As shown in Table 14, the longer length of PET fibers
decreases the flowability of the SCC with a Square value of
Length -110.0 3.3 -0.06 -5.45 0.944 and a p-value of 0.152. It also decreases the passing
(Estimate) ability according to the statistical analysis. The length of the
fiber does not significantly affect the segregation resistance
of the SCC.
3.5 Steel Tire Waste
The water content for steel tire waste, PET, and aluminum
cans was slightly lower compared to natural fiber because Table 14. Statistical Analysis of PET Bottles Fibe
these fibers do not absorb any moisture in the concrete. L-
Among all the fibers used in this research, the tire steel SF T50 GTM fc’
waste has the highest tensile strength. This research tested Box
different dosages of this type of fiber. As compared to RSquare 0.944 0.598 0.863 0.594 0.903
natural fibers, the dosage of steel tire waste does not affect
the flowability, viscosity, and passing ability of the SCC. It Fiber
is noticeable that the result of GTM is higher compared to Length 0.152 0.437 0.241 0.440 0.201
natural fibers. The reason for this is that the steel tire fiber
does not absorb any moisture and helps the concrete to mix (Prob)
properly because of its shape and weight. All mixtures with Intercept
different dosages of this type of fiber passed the 736.486 0.8 0.176 8.853 32.919
requirements of EFNARC for rheology. As observed during (Estimate)
the experiment, there is no entanglement in the bars of the L-
Fiber
box. This is because of the short length and inflexibility of
this fiber. Length -1.541 0.019 -0.014 -1.765 0.241
(Estimate)
The dosage of steel tire waste does not affect the results of
SF and T50. Regression analysis for the compressive
strength yielded an R-square value of 0.964 with a p-value
of 0.121, the highest among all derived models for this type
of fiber.
5
3.7 Aluminum Cans
Aluminum tin can fiber is the easiest fiber to make among ACKNOWLEDGMENT
these six types of fiber considered in this research. This type The researchers want to acknowledge the Department of
of fiber is also easy to bend and smooth surface but has a flat Science and Technology Philippine Council for Industry,
surface. According to the table below, no mixture assed the Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and
requirement of the L-box test. The aluminum can fiber can Development (DOST-PCIEERD) for allowing us to do
easily entangle with the bars of the L-box, Because of its flat research that will benefit the Filipino people.
surface, the concrete was prevented from flowing from the
vertical part of the l-box toward the horizontal part. REFERENCES

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fiber should be limited to 35mm to prevent loss of the
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properties and flexural toughness of self-compacting
All types of waste fiber used in this experiment do not concrete. Journal of Materials Research and Technology,
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SCC as fiber reinforcement.

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