MULTISCALE FIBER-REINFORCED SUSTAINABLE CONCRETE WITH HIGH-VOLUME FLY ASH AND PORCELAIN AGGREGATE

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The construction industry is increasingly focused on sustainable materials that reduce environmental impact while maintaining high mechanical performance. One promising strategy involves incorporating industrial waste materials into concrete, such as high-volume fly ash (FA) as a cement substitute and recycled porcelain aggregate (PA) as fine aggregate. This study investigates a novel sustainable concrete system enhanced with multiscale fibers to overcome the strength limitations typically associated with high replacement levels. The goal is to develop an eco-friendly material capable of meeting structural performance requirements while promoting circular economy principles.

Optimization of Fly Ash and Porcelain Aggregate Replacement

A key objective of the research was to determine the optimal proportions of FA (0–50 %) and PA (0–100 %) required to achieve a target compressive strength of 45 MPa. Through experimental testing and numerical modeling, the study demonstrated that even at maximum replacement levels, the concrete achieved a compressive strength of 44.3 MPa at 28 days. This finding confirms that significant reductions in cement and natural sand consumption are possible without severely compromising structural performance, making the mixture highly sustainable.

Role of Multiscale Fiber Reinforcement

To further enhance performance, the optimized mixture incorporated multiscale fibers consisting of 1 % steel fibers (macro-scale) and 0.1 % graphene nanotubes (nano-scale). This hybrid reinforcement strategy creates a hierarchical strengthening mechanism across different length scales. Steel fibers improve crack resistance and load transfer at the macro level, while graphene nanotubes refine the microstructure and inhibit microcrack propagation at the nanoscale, producing a synergistic improvement in overall material behavior.

Mechanical Performance Enhancement

The addition of multiscale fibers significantly improved key mechanical properties. Compressive strength increased by 13.3 %, while flexural strength and direct tensile strength improved dramatically by 145.8 % and 44.4 %, respectively. These results indicate that fiber reinforcement is particularly effective in enhancing tensile-related properties, which are typically weak in conventional concrete. Such improvements broaden the applicability of sustainable concrete for structural components subjected to bending, tension, and dynamic loads.

Impact Resistance and Energy Absorption

One of the most striking outcomes of the study was the substantial increase in impact resistance. The energy absorption capacity at the initial cracking stage rose from 98.1 J to 5790.8 J after fiber incorporation. This enhancement is attributed to multiscale crack-bridging mechanisms, where fibers arrest crack growth at different stages and scales, thereby delaying failure and dissipating energy. Such behavior is critical for infrastructure exposed to repeated or sudden loading, including pavements, industrial floors, and protective structures.

Microstructural Characteristics and Engineering Applications

Microstructural analyses using ICP-MS, XRD, and STA tests revealed that graphene nanotubes and fly ash contributed to pore refinement, enhanced pozzolanic reactions, and improved bonding within the cement matrix. The combined effects of waste material utilization and multiscale reinforcement produced a dense, durable microstructure with superior mechanical performance. Consequently, this advanced sustainable concrete is well suited for applications requiring high tensile strength and impact resistance, particularly rigid pavements and heavy-duty infrastructure systems.


#EcoFriendlyMaterials
#HighPerformanceConcrete
#RigidPavement
#ImpactResistance
#CompressiveStrength
#FlexuralStrength
#TensileStrength
#ConstructionInnovation
#CircularEconomy
#CivilEngineering
#SustainableInfrastructure
#AdvancedMaterials

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