Effect of Multisize Polypropylene Fibers on Uniaxial Compression Properties and Microstructure of Sea-Sand Coral Concrete
摘要
Seawater sea-sand coral concrete (SSCC) has broad application prospects in island engineering construction. However, its application scope is considerably limited by its obvious brittleness and poor resistance to cracking. To enhance the toughness and mechanical properties of SSCC at different scales and broaden its applicability, hybrid polypropylene fiber-reinforced seawater sea-sand coral concrete (HPFSSCC) was developed. Experimental studies were conducted to investigate HPFSSCC’s mechanical properties, focusing on the effects of fiber type, aspect ratio of macro polypropylene fiber (MPF), fiber volume content of MPF, and fine polypropylene fiber (FPF) on HPFSSCC’s stress–strain behavior through uniaxial compression tests. Results revealed that the typical damage mode of HPFSSCC under uniaxial compression was shear failure, which exhibited notable ductility. HPFSSCC demonstrated superior performance with a FPF content of 0.15%, an MPF content of 1.0%, and a length of 42 mm. Under these conditions, the peak stress, strain, and compressive toughness index increased by 17.78%, 41.36%, and 67.72%, respectively, compared with the control. Based on these test data, a uniaxial compressive constitutive model for HPFSSCC was established, accounting for the characteristic parameters of the two fibers. SEM images indicated that MPFs were well-bonded to the matrix and that the three-dimensional mesh structure formed by MPFs and FPFs effectively served as a multiscale crack-resistance mechanism, slowing crack propagation.