A study on mechanical properties of rubberized concrete with polypropylene fibres

As the construction industry’s resource demands surge and environmental concerns over natural aggregate mining intensify, the search for alternative and environmentally sound construction material sources has gained momentum. The research focuses on understanding the properties when incorporating rubber as coarse aggregate in place of traditional coarse aggregates with Polypropylene (PP) fibres. The use rubber as a substitute for coarse aggregates in concrete has gained attention due to its potential benefits in enhancing strength, toughness and ductility. However, the addition of rubber can adversely affect the strength and stiffness. To counteract these drawbacks, PP fibers were introduced as a reinforcing material to increase the properties of concrete. The experimental program involved the preparation of concrete mixtures with varying rubber contents (0%, 2.5%, 5%, and 7.5% as a replacement for coarse aggregates by volume) and PP fiber dosages (0%, 0.1%, 0.2% by volume of concrete). The fresh and hardened properties, including slump, compressive strength were evaluated according to relevant standards. The study showed good compressive strength for 5% replacement of coarse aggregate and 0.2% replacement of PP Fibres as compared to other mixes.