International Journal of

Advanced Structures and Geotechnical Engineering

ISSN 2319-5347, Vol. 03, No. 01, January 2014

Influence of Hybrid Fiber on Reinforced Concrete

SELINA RUBY G., GEETHANJALI C., JAISON VARGHESE, P. MUTHU PRIYA
Department of Civil Engineering, Sri Krishna College of Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
Email: selinarubygvg@gmail.com, cgj0891@gmail.com, zinega.creations@gmail.com,
muthupriya.vlb@gmail.com
Abstract: Hybrid Fiber Reinforced Concrete (HFRC) is formed from a combination of different types of fibres,
which differ in material properties, remain bonded together when added in concrete and retain their identities
and properties. The combining of fibers, often called hybridization, is investigated for a M40 grade concrete at a
volume fraction of 0.5% in this paper. Control and three hybrid fiber composites were cast using different fiber
proportions of steel and polypropylene. Compressive strength, split tensile strength and flexural strength test
were performed and results were analyzed to associate with above fiber combinations. Based on experimental
studies, the paper identifies fiber combinations that demonstrate maximum compressive, split tensile and flexural
strength of concrete. Relationship between compressive strength and split tensile strength, compressive strength
and flexural strength is presented.
Keywords: Hybrid fibres, Polypropylene fibre, Steel fibre, Volume fraction.
Introduction:
Cement mortar and concrete made with Portland
cement is a kind of most commonly used construction
material in the world. These materials have inherently
brittle nature and have some dramatic disadvantages
such as poor deformability and weak crack resistance
in the practical usage. Also their tensile strength and
flexural strength is relatively low compared to their
compressive strength. Fibre Reinforced Concrete
is concrete containing fibrous material which
increases its structural integrity. It contains short
discrete fibres that are uniformly distributed and
randomly oriented. Fibres include steel fibres, glass
fibres, synthetic fibres and natural fibres each of
which lend varying properties to the concrete. In
addition, the character of fibre reinforced concrete
changes with varying concretes, fibre materials,
geometries, distribution, orientation, and densities. In
a hybrid, two or more different types of fibres are
rationally combined to produce a composite that
derives benefits from each of the individual fibres and
exhibits a synergistic response. The hybrid
combination of metallic and non-metallic fibres can
offer potential advantages in improving concrete
properties as well as reducing the overall cost of
concrete production. Basically fibers can be divided
into following two groups
(i) Fibers whose moduli is lower than the cement
matrix such as cellulose, nylon, polypropylene
(ii) Fibres with higher moduli than the cement such as
asbestos, glass, steel etc.
Fibres having lower modulus of elasticity are
expected to enhance strain performance whereas
fibres having higher modulus of elasticity are
expected to enhance the strength performance.
Moreover, the addition of hybrid fibres makes the
concrete more homogeneous and isotropic and
therefore it is transformed from brittle to more ductile
material.

The usefulness of hybrid fiber reinforced concrete in

various Civil Engineering applications is thus
indisputable. Hence this study explores the feasibility
of hybrid fiber reinforcement with a given grade of
concrete at a volume fraction of 0.5%
I. Materials Used
In this experimental study cement, fine aggregate,
coarse aggregate, steel fibres, polypropylene fibres
were used.
Cement: Portland Pozzolona Cement of 53 grade was
used in this experimentation conforming to I.S.12269:
1987
Table 1 Properties of Cement
Property
Fineness of Cement
Grade of Cement
Specific Gravity
Initial Setting time
Final Setting Time

Values
7.5%
53
3.15
28 min
600 min

Coarse aggregates: Locally available, aggregate

passing through 20 mm sieve and retained on 12.5
mm sieve and as given in IS: 383 1970 is used for
all the specimens.
Table 2 Properties of Coarse Aggregate
Property
Specific Gravity
Size Of Aggregates

Values
2.60
20 mm

Sand: Clean and dry river sand available locally was

used. Sand passing through IS 4.75 mm sieve and as
per IS: 383:1970 was used for all the specimens.

IJASGE 030108 Copyright 2014 BASHA RESEARCH CENTRE. All rights reserved.

SELINA RUBY G., GEETHANJALI C., JAISON VARGHESE, P. MUTHU PRIYA

Table 3 Properties of Sand

Property
Specific Gravity
Fineness Modulus

Table 7 Different Proportions of Fibres Used

Values
2.64
2. 79

Mix

Water: Potable water was used for the

experimentation. Chemical Admixture Type: Super
Plasticizer
Steel Fibres: Continuously crimped Steel fibres with
an aspect ratio of 80 were used.
Table 4 Properties of Steel Fibre
Specification
Length(mm)
Diameter(mm)
Aspect ratio
Specific gravity

Values
40
0.5
80
7.48

Polypropylene Fibres: Fibrillated fibers were used.

Table 5 Properties of Polypropylene Fibre
Specification

Values

Length(mm)
Diameter(mm)
Aspect Ratio
Specific Gravity

38
0.1
380
0.9

II. Mix Proportion

Mix design has been adopted from IS 10262:2009 to
design for M40 grade of concrete.
Table 6 Quantities of Materials Used
Materials
Cement
Fine
aggregate
Coarse
aggregate
Water
Super
plasticizer

By weight
395 kg/m3
715.28
kg/m3
1150 kg/m3
3

By
proportion
1
1.81
2.91

158 kg/m

0.4

7.9 kg/m3

0.02

No fibres were added in control mix specimen

whereas Steel and Polypropylene fibres were added
to other concrete specimen at a volume fraction of
0.5%. Steel fibres were added by the volume of
concrete and polypropylene fibres were added by the
weight of cement.

CM
S0.25P0.75
S0.5P0.5
S0.75P0.25

Steel fibres by
volume of
concrete (%)
25
50
75

Polypropylene
fibres by
weight of
cement (%)
75
50
25

III. Experimental Methodology

A. Compression strength test
For compressive strength test, cube specimens of
dimensions 150 mm x 150 mm x 150 mm were casted
for M40 grade of concrete. The moulds were filled
with hybrid fibre concrete. After 24 hours the
specimens were demoulded and were transferred to
curing tank where in they were allowed to cure for 28
days. These specimens were tested in compression
testing machine. The load was applied as per IS 5161964. Compression testing machine having 2000kN
is used for loading. In each category, three cubes
were tested and their average value is reported by
using following formulae.
Compressive strength = Load / Area (MPa)
B. Split tensile strength test
For tensile strength test, cylinder specimens of
dimension 150 mm diameter and 300 mm length were
cast. The specimens were demoulded after 24 hours
of casting and were transferred to curing tank where
in they were allowed to cure for 28 days. These
specimens were tested under compression testing
machine. In each category, three cylinders were tested
and their average value is reported. Tensile strength
was calculated as follows as split tensile strength.
Tensile strength (MPa) = 2P / DL, Where P =
failure load, D = diameter of cylinder, L = length of
cylinder.
C. Flexural strength test
The flexural strength of concrete prism was
determined based on IS: 516 1959.Beam specimens
of size 100 mm x 100 mm x 500 mm were casted.
The samples were demoulded after 24 h from casting
and kept in a water tank for 28 days curing. The
specimens were placed in UTM and tested for
flexural strength.
IV. Experimental Results:
Results of Compressive strength, split tensile strength
and flexural strength for M40 grade of concrete on
cube specimen with 0%, HFRC SO.25P0.75, HFRC
SO.5P0.5 and HFRC SO.75P0.25 fibers are shown
in table and graph below.

International Journal of Advanced Structures and Geotechnical Engineering

ISSN 2319-5347, Vol. 03, No. 01, January 2014, pp 40-43

Influence of Hybrid Fiber on Reinforced Concrete

Table 8 Results of Compressive Strength, Split Tensile Strength and Flexural Strength Test
Mix
CM
S0.25P0.75
S0.5P0.5
S0.75P0.25

Average
compressive
strength at 28 days (MPa)
43.41
53.75
57.85
61.23

Average
split
tensile
strength at 28 days (MPa)
6.51
8.51
10.58
12.84

Average flexural strength

at 28 days (MPa)
8.68
14.18
14.56
15.8

Fig. 1 Compressive strength at 28 days

Fig. 4 Relationship between Compressive strength

and Split tensile strength at 28 days

Fig. 2 Split tensile strength at 28 days

Fig. 5 Relationship between Compressive strength

and Flexural strength at 28 days

Fig. 3 Flexural strength at 28 days

VI. Conclusion:
The maximum compressive strength reaches in the
HFRC S0.75P0.25, i.e., 75% steel fibres and 25%
polypropylene fibres because of the high elastic
modulus of steel fibre and the low elastic modulus of
polypropylene fibre work in perfect combination.
The spilt tensile strength of fibre percentage with
S0.75P0.25 shows slight increase in strength.
Improved tensile strength can be achieved by
increasing the percentage of steel fibres. The higher
number of fibres bridging the diametral splitting
crack, the higher would be the spilt tensile strength.
The increased fibre availability of PP fibres,
combined with the high stiffness of steel fibres,
resulted in a significant enhancement of the split
tensile strength for this combination. The flexural
strength of HFRC containg the volume fraction of
75% steel fibres and 25% polypropylene fibres is

International Journal of Advanced Structures and Geotechnical Engineering

ISSN 2319-5347, Vol. 03, No. 01, January 2014, pp 40-43

SELINA RUBY G., GEETHANJALI C., JAISON VARGHESE, P. MUTHU PRIYA

higher than the other HFRC. It can be observed that,

under axial loads,cracks occur in microstructure of
concrete and fibres limit the formation and growth of
cracks.
Relationship between compressive strength and split
tensile strength of HFRC is derived by the equation y
= 0.335x - 8.538 and value of R2 =0.910 is obtained.
Compressive strength and flexural strength of HFRC
is linearly related by the equation y = 0.399x - 8.293
and R2 =0.955 is arrived.
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International Journal of Advanced Structures and Geotechnical Engineering

ISSN 2319-5347, Vol. 03, No. 01, January 2014, pp 40-43