Basalt Fiber-Reinforced Concrete (BFRC) Properties: An In-Depth Review of Mechanical Strength
Keywords:
Basalt (BFRC), Basalt fibers, Fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC), Mechanical properties, Sustainable concreteAbstract
The growing emphasis on sustainable materials has spotlighted Basalt Fiber (BF) as a promising reinforcement for concrete due to its superior strength, durability, cost-effectiveness, and eco-friendly production. Basalt Fiber-Reinforced Concrete (BFRC) has demonstrated excellent mechanical properties, making it a viable alternative to traditional fibers like steel, glass, and carbon. This study examines the influence of BF on concrete’s compressive strength, addressing inconsistencies in existing research. While some studies report strength improvements at BF dosages of 0.5 to 3.5% by weight, others note reductions due to poor fiber-matrix bonding or fiber agglomeration. Optimal BF content is typically around 2%, yielding up to a 10% strength increase, whereas higher dosages (2.5 to 3%) can cause strength losses of up to 21%. Fiber length is also critical, with 12-mm fibers performing best at dosages of 0.1 to 0.5%. Factors like aggregate type, water-to-cement ratio, and mix design further influence BFRC’s strength properties. For example, expanded clay aggregates enhance compressive strength due to better fiber compatibility. However, the long-term durability of BFRC under environmental conditions, such as freeze-thaw cycles, remains underexplored. Future research should focus on optimizing mix designs, improving fiber dispersion, and assessing durability. Additionally, integrating BF into design codes and establishing standardized guidelines are crucial for its practical application. This study offers valuable insights into optimizing BFRC mix designs to enhance compressive strength and structural performance, paving the way for sustainable construction solutions.
References
J. J. Noronha and A. Warudkar, “Review Report on ‘Self-Healing Concrete,’” Journal of Advances and Scholarly Researches in Allied Education, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 439–441, Apr. 2018, doi: https://doi.org/10.29070/15/56862.
D. E. Nassani, “Experimental and analytical study of the mechanical and flexural behavior of hybrid fiber concretes,” Structures, vol. 28, pp. 1746–1755, Dec. 2020, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2020.10.014.
S. Lee et al., “Impact resistance, flexural and tensile properties of amorphous metallic fiber-reinforced cementitious composites according to fiber length,” Construction and Building Materials, vol. 271, p. 121872, Feb. 2021, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.121872.
M. R. Ahmad and B. Chen, “Microstructural characterization of basalt fiber reinforced magnesium phosphate cement supplemented by silica fume,” Construction and Building Materials, vol. 237, p. 117795, Mar. 2020, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2019.117795.
L. Hou, J. Wang, T. Huang, C. Shen, F. Aslani, and D. Chen, “Flexural behaviour of corroded reinforced concrete beams repaired with ultra-high toughness cementitious composite,” vol. 211, pp. 1127–1137, Jun. 2019, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2019.03.214.
L. Hou, R. Xu, Y. Zang, F. Ouyang, D. Chen, and L. Zhong, “Bond behavior between reinforcement and ultra-high toughness cementitious composite in flexural members,” Engineering Structures, vol. 210, pp. 110357–110357, May 2020, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2020.110357.
V. J. John and B. Dharmar, “Influence of basalt fibers in the mechanical behavior of concrete A review,” Structural Concrete, Feb. 2020, doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/suco.201900086
B. Wei, H. Cao, and S. Song, “Degradation of basalt fibre and glass fibre/epoxy resin composites in seawater,” Corrosion Science, vol. 53, no. 1, pp. 426–431, Jan. 2011, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.corsci.2010.09.053.
Y. Li et al., “A review on the durability of basalt fiber reinforced concrete,” vol. 225, pp. 109519–109519, Jul. 2022, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compscitech.2022.109519.
D. Serder, “End-Use Industry (Construction & Infrastructure, Automotive & Transportation, Electrical & Electronics, Marine), Usage (Composites, Non-composites), and Region - Global Forecast to 2024.,” 2019.
A. Adesina, “Performance of cementitious composites reinforced with chopped basalt fibres – An overview,” Construction and Building Materials, vol. 266, p. 120970, Jan. 2021, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.120970.
P. Smarzewski, “Influence of basalt-polypropylene fibres on fracture properties of high-performance concrete,” Composite Structures, vol. 209, pp. 23–33, Feb. 2019, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2018.10.070.
M. Hassani Niaki, A. Fereidoon, and M. Ghorbanzadeh Ahangari, “Experimental study on the mechanical and thermal properties of basalt fiber and nanoclay reinforced polymer concrete,” Composite Structures, vol. 191, pp. 231–238, May 2018, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2018.02.063.
Z. Algin and M. Ozen, “The properties of chopped basalt fibre reinforced self-compacting concrete,” Construction and Building Materials, vol. 186, pp. 678–685, Oct. 2018, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2018.07.089.
H. Katkhuda and N. Shatarat, “Improving the mechanical properties of recycled concrete aggregate using chopped basalt fibers and acid treatment,” Construction and Building Materials, vol. 140, pp. 328–335, Jun. 2017, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2017.02.128.
P. C. Chiadighikaobi, V. V. Galishnikova, M. Kharun, D. D. Koroteev, and P. Dkhar, “Compressive strength of basalt fiber reinforced concrete (BFRC) comparing on expanded clay and gravel as BFRC aggregate,” IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, vol. 675, p. 012003, Nov. 2019, doi: https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899x/675/1/012003.
X. Wang, J. He, A. S. Mosallam, C. Li, and H. Xin, “The Effects of Fiber Length and Volume on Material Properties and Crack Resistance of Basalt Fiber Reinforced Concrete (BFRC),” Advances in Materials Science and Engineering, vol. 2019, p. e7520549, Oct. 2019, doi: https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/7520549.
L. Yang, H. Xie, S. Fang, C. Huang, A. Yang, and Y. J. Chao, “Experimental study on mechanical properties and damage mechanism of basalt fiber reinforced concrete under uniaxial compression,” Structures, vol. 31, pp. 330–340, Jun. 2021, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.istruc.2021.01.071.
S. Bright Singh and M. Madasamy, “Investigation of aggregate size effects on properties of basalt and carbon fibre-reinforced pervious concrete,” Road Materials and Pavement Design, pp. 1–24, Feb. 2021, doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/14680629.2021.1886158.
X. Sun, Z. Gao, P. Cao, and C. Zhou, “Mechanical properties tests and multiscale numerical simulations for basalt fiber reinforced concrete,” Construction and Building Materials, vol. 202, pp. 58–72, Mar. 2019, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2019.01.018.
C. Jiang, K. Fan, F. Wu, and D. Chen, “Experimental study on the mechanical properties and microstructure of chopped basalt fibre reinforced concrete,” Materials & Design, vol. 58, pp. 187–193, Jun. 2014, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2014.01.056.
A. B. Kizilkanat, N. Kabay, V. Akyüncü, S. Chowdhury, and A. H. Akça, “Mechanical properties and fracture behavior of basalt and glass fiber reinforced concrete: An experimental study,” Construction and Building Materials, vol. 100, pp. 218–224, Dec. 2015, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2015.10.006.
M. Xu, S. Song, L. Feng, J. Zhou, H. Li, and V. C. Li, “Development of basalt fiber engineered cementitious composites and its mechanical properties,” Construction and Building Materials, vol. 266, p. 121173, Jan. 2021, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.121173.
T. M. Borhan, “Properties of glass concrete reinforced with short basalt fibre,” Materials & Design, vol. 42, pp. 265–271, Dec. 2012, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2012.05.062.
C. Wei, X. Sun, Z. Yu, and P. Zhang, “Experimental study and mechanism analysis on basic mechanical properties of basalt fiber reinforced concrete,” Structural concrete (London. 1999), vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 4199–4226, Nov. 2022, doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/suco.202200046
Y. Li, Z. Gu, B. Zhao, J. Zhang, and X. Zou, “Experimental Study on Mechanical Properties of Basalt Fiber Concrete after Cryogenic Freeze−Thaw Cycles,” Polymers, vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 196–196, Dec. 2022, doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15010196.
M. S. Meddah and M. Bencheikh, “Properties of concrete reinforced with different kinds of industrial waste fibre materials,” Construction and Building Materials, vol. 23, no. 10, pp. 3196–3205, Oct. 2009, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2009.06.017.
D. Niu, D. Huang, and Q. Fu, “Experimental investigation on compressive strength and chloride permeability of fiber-reinforced concrete with basalt-polypropylene fibers,” Advances in Structural Engineering, vol. 22, no. 10, pp. 2278–2288, Mar. 2019, doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/1369433219837387.
F. Shi, T. M. Pham, H. Hao, and Y. Hao, “Post-cracking behaviour of basalt and macro polypropylene hybrid fibre reinforced concrete with different compressive strengths,” Construction and Building Materials, vol. 262, p. 120108, Nov. 2020, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.120108.
T. Ayub and N. Shafiq, “Compressive Stress-Strain Behavior of HSFRC Reinforced with Basalt Fibers,” Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, vol. 28, no. 4, Apr. 2016, doi: https://doi.org/10.1061/(asce)mt.1943-5533.0001441.
