Analyzing the strength and impact resistance characteristics of concrete with lathe machine waste as fiber

The recycling and utilization of waste fibers from materials such as waste steel offer significant opportunities to promote sustainability, reduce waste, and derive value from discarded materials. This research investigates the impact of incorporating Lathe Machine Waste (LMW) as fibers on concrete. The investigation focuses on workability, mechanical strength, and impact resistance of concrete. Also, the aim is to identify the optimal LMW percentage for improved concrete performance and the research explores the recycling of LMW as a concrete fiber. To identify the optimal LMW content for M40 grade concrete, comprehensive laboratory tests were conducted on the 28th day of curing. Specimens with varying LMW percentages (0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, and 2% by volume) were evaluated for workability, compressive strength (CS), splitting tensile strength (STS), flexural strength (FS), modulus of elasticity (MOE), ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) test, and impact resistance (IR). The test results demonstrated a significant improvement in the mechanical properties of concrete containing the optimal percentage (1%) of LMW fiber by weight. The CS increased by 14.39%, STS by 27.71%, FS by 8.33%, and MOE by 11.30%. Additionally, the results revealed a noteworthy increase in both modulus of elasticity (MOE) and peak strain as the LMW volume fraction increased. Compared to plain concrete, LMW addition increased the strength of concrete but workability decreased. Also, a UPV test has been conducted for the study of concrete quality grading which shows good agreement with CS results. The IR of concrete exhibits a positive correlation with the increasing percentage of LMW, leading to a reduction in the brittleness of concrete to some extent.