Mesoscopic and Microscopic Reinforcement Mechanisms of Fiber-Reinforced Foamed Lightweight Concrete: A Comprehensive Multi-scale Investigation
摘要
This study investigates the mesoscopic and microscopic reinforcement mechanisms of fiber-reinforced foamed lightweight concrete (FRFLC) through multi-scale analysis. Eight fiber types including polypropylene, polyacrylonitrile, alkali-resistant glass fiber, basalt fiber, polyester, polyvinyl alcohol, carbon fiber, and wood fiber were systematically evaluated. Advanced characterization techniques including industrial computed tomography (CT) scanning, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed to establish quantitative relationships between pore structure and mechanical performance. The research examined the influence of fiber type, dosage (0.25–1.00%), design wet density (4–8 kN/m3), and water–solid ratio (1:1.5–1:1.9) on pore structure optimization. Industrial CT analysis revealed that fiber incorporation significantly reduces pore number and average pore volume, with glass fiber at 0.75% volume content demonstrating optimal performance. NMR testing showed fiber-reinforced specimens exhibit narrower pore-size distributions concentrated in the 0.1–0.4 mm range. The optimal combination of water–solid ratio (1:1.75) and design wet density (6 kN/m3) yielded superior mechanical strength. Fractal dimension analysis established quantitative correlations between pore distribution uniformity and mechanical properties, with higher fractal dimension values (1.45-1.63) corresponding to enhanced compressive strength. SEM observations revealed two primary fiber-matrix connection modes showing favorable bonding conditions. The study demonstrated that fiber reinforcement operates through multi-scale mechanisms: modifying pore characteristics at the mesoscopic level while providing structural support at the microscopic level.