International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET)
Volume: 02 Issue: 06 | Sep-2015 www.irjet.net
A STUDY ON STRENGTH PROPERTIES OF HYBRID FIBER REINFORCED
CONCRETE
Amar R Dongapure1, Brijbhushan S2, D K Kulkarni3
1 M.Tech Student, Department of Construction Technology, VTURC, PG center, Kalaburagi, Karnataka, India
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Construction Technology, VTURC, PG center, Kalaburagi, Karnataka, India
3 Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, SDMCET, Dharwad, Karnataka, India
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Abstract - This paper is part of a study investigating
the structural characteristics of concrete using various
combinations of hybrid fibers i.e., Glass and
polypropylene fibers as an addiction to normal concrete
to make it a hybrid fiber reinforced concrete (HFRC).
The different tests were conducted on HFRC and same
were compared with the normal conventional concrete.
The HFRC specimens (Cubes, Cylinders and Prisms)
were cast using varying volume fractions of hybrid
fibers varying from 0% to 1.5%. In each concrete mix
half of the fiber volumes of both were added equivalent
to the weight of cement. Workability tests were carried
out at different w/c ratios for M25 mix for HFRC and
appropriate ratio was selected. It was found that for
M25 HFRC mix with a W/C ratio of 0.50 having mix
proportion 1: 1.77: 3.11 yielded maximum compressive
strength of 33.12 N/mm2 for cubes at 1.0% fibers,
which are favourable with that of conventional
concrete. Split tensile strength of M25 HFRC mix was
maximum for 1.0% fiber fraction and it was 27%
higher compared to normal concrete. Flexural strength
of prisms for M25 HFRC mix was maximum at 1% fiber
fraction and increase in strength was about 25.38%
compared to normal concrete. Hence we arrived at a
conclusion that at 1% fiber replacement HFRC can
attain best strength parameters.
Key Words: Glass fiber(GF), Polypropylene fiber(PPF),
Compressive strength, Tensile strength, Flexural strength,
Impact resistant strength, Sorptivity, Hybrid fiber reinforced
concrete(HFRC).
1. INTRODUCTION:
In construction industry concrete is major material used
nowadays. Concrete has better resistance in compression
while steel has more resistance in tension. Conventional
concrete has limited ductility, low impact and abrasion
resistance and little resistance to cracking. To improve the
pre cracking and post cracking behavior of short
discontinuous and discrete fibers are added to the plain
concrete to make it fibrous concrete. The concrete
containing cement, water, aggregates and discontinuous
discrete fibers is called Fiber Reinforced Concrete (FRC).
The ductility of FRC depends on the ability of the fibers to
form bridging cracks at higher levels of strain due to
higher loads applied. The fibers interlock and stay around
aggregate particles and considerably reduce workability,
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while the mix becomes more cohesive and less prone to
segregation. The fibers are dispersed and distributed
randomly in the concrete during mixing and thus improve
concrete properties in all directions. The brittle character
of concrete that limits its application, can be overcome by
the inclusion of fibers (like steel, glass, carbon,
polypropylene, and natural) and can be practiced among
others that minimizes the weaknesses of concrete, such as
low growth resistance, high shrinkage cracking, low
durability, etc.
Many experiments were carried out during past years. In
this study glass fibers and polypropylene fibers were
varied at 0.5% variation upto a maximum fiber volume
fraction of 1.5%. For each percentage mix 50% of both
fibers were added by the weight of cement.
Priti A Patel (Jan-2012) [1], studied attempts to increase
concrete ductility and energy absorption and also studied
strength properties by introducing polypropylene fibers
(PPF) at fiber volume fraction ranging from 0 to 2%. The
increase in strength was due to confinement provided by
fiber bonding property. Cylinder after formation of first
crack does not separate but a large damaged zone was
produced due to closely spaced micro cracks surrounding
a splitting plane called “Fiber bridging mechanism”. They
concluded fibers at 1.5% yields best results. Further
increase of fibers for 2%, strength got decreased. Selina
Ruby G (Jan-2014) [2], investigated for M40 concrete mix
on steel and polypropylene fibers, keeping a fixed 0.8% SF
and varied PPF from 0 to 0.75%. They concluded increase
in compressive strength is due to perfect combination of
high elastic modulus of SF and low elastic modulus of PPF.
Due to higher number of fibers bridging “diametrical
splitting crack” the split tensile strength was increased. C
Selin Ravikumar (Sept-2011) [3], studied strength and fire
resistant property using glass fibers for M25 concrete,
found addiction of 1% fibers gave maximum strength.
They concluded that higher the percentages of fiber
addition lower will be degradation of concrete strength.
Parveen (May-2010) [4], studied benefits of combining
organic fibers (polypropylene, nylon) and inorganic fibers
(glass, asbestos, carbon) to achieve superior strengths.
Study investigated effect of variation of PPF (ranging from
0.1% to 0.4%) with 0.8% steel fiber (SF) and concluded
with 0.8% of SF and 0.3% PPF, giving a little increase in
compression, whereas flexure and tensile strength were
increased considerably. Vikrant S. Vairgade (June-2012)
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[5], studied on M25 hybrid concrete using steel fiber and Glass fibers provide improvements in shrinkage
polypropylene fiber at different proportions and characteristics, fatigue characteristics, impact, erosion
concluded S0.8+P0.2 gave highest strength compared to resistance, cavitations, serviceability, tensile strength,
other combination. durability of concrete. In this study chopped strand mat
glass fiber is used with properties- Type: Emulsion roded,
2. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Material: chopped strand MAT glass fiber, Density:
Cement: 450/300 GSM (Grams per square meter), Length: 40 to 50
Ordinary Portland cement (OPC) 53 grade Ultratech mm, Tensile strength: 108 Mpa, Flexural strength: 204
cement confirming to IS 10262-2009 was procured from Mpa, Mechanical properties: good bonding.
single source, properties of which were tested in the
laboratory are given in Table 1. Polypropylene fibers:
Table 1: Physical properties of cement In the study Fibrillated 12 mm cut length fibers were used.
These polypropylene fibers were brought from Kasturi
Properties Test results composites pvt. Ltd Amravati, Nagpur, Maharastra. Their
Specific gravity 3.12 properties are given in the table.4 below.
Table.4 Properties of polypropylene fibers
Normal consistency 34%
Geometry of fiber Fibrillated
Initial setting time 40 minutes Length of fiber 12mm
Final setting time 2 hours 30 minutes Tensile strength 500-750 MPa
Fineness of cement 2%
Percentage variation of fibers in mix:-
Coarse Aggregates: The proportions of two hybrid fibers (Glass &
In the present investigation locally available aggregates of Polypropylene) used in concrete mix were at volume
Size fractions i.e., 20mm &10mm down size used. fractions of 0%, 0.5%, 1% and 1.5% and for each
Aggregates were brought at LAHOTI CRUSHERS in proportion equal quantity (50% of both) of fibers are
Shahabad road, Kalaburagi and tested in laboratory added to the mix by the weight of cement. The percentages
conditions, results were presented in Table 2. are given in table.5-
Table 2: Physical properties of Coarse aggregates Table 5. Percentages of fibers in each mix
Properties Test results Designation Total fiber GF and PPF by Weight
Shape of coarse aggregate Angular for concrete added (%) of cement (%)
Specific gravity 2.73 A1 0.5 0.25
Water absorption 16% A2 1 0.50
Fineness modulus 4.5
A3 1.5 0.75
Bulk density(kg/m3) 1.48
In this paper we studied on mechanical properties
Compression, Tensile, Flexure, Impact strength and
Fine aggregate: sorptivity test. All specimens were cast and cured for
Locally available river sand with Zone II specification 28days in normal curing tank.
passing through 4.75mm sieve as per IS 383-1978 was
brought from Bheema river bed near Shahapur. The Concrete mix design:
various test results are as shown in Table 3. The strength of hardened concrete using glass fibers and
Table 3. Physical properties of Fine aggregates polypropylene fibers was studied by casting different
Specific Gravity 2.40 specimens like cube, cylinder and prism. Concrete
specimens were prepared and tested under laboratory
Water Absorption 1% conditions. The mix proportions of materials were
Fineness modulus 2.5 calculated as per IS 456-2000 using Indian Standard Mix
Design (IS: 10262-2009) for M25 grade of concrete.
Zone II
3. RESULTS:
Water: Compressive strength, Split tensile strength, Flexural
The clean Potable water available in laboratory was used Strength, Impact strength and Sorptivity of concrete were
for all the experimentation work during casting and curing tested on Cubes, Cylinders and Prisms with different
satisfying as per IS 456-2000. percentages of glass and polypropylene fibers for M25 mix
are tabulated below in table-6 to table-10 and are shown
Glass fibers:

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 International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056
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graphically in fig.1 to fig.5 respectively. The strength of

concrete has been tested after 28 days of normal curing.

 Compressive strength test:

Table.6 Compressive strength of HFRC
Total Volume Compressive
Designation
fraction of strength of HFRC
for concrete
Hybrid fibers in N/mm2
mix
(%)
A0 0 29.56
A1 0.5 31.66
Fig.2. Split tensile strength of HFRC
A2 1 33.12
 Flexural strength test:
A3 1.5 30.68 Table.8 Flexural strength of HFRC
Total Volume
Designation Flexural strength
The increase in strength using 0 to 1.0% hybrid fibers in fraction of
for concrete of HFRC in
HFRC of M25 mix was upto 12.04% than compared to Hybrid fibers
mix N/mm2
controlled concrete without fibers of similar mix (%)
proportion. Further increase in fibers content decreased A0 0 3.90
strength. For 1.5% fibers strength was 3.78% greater than
controlled concrete. A1 0.5 4.37
A2 1 4.89
A3 1.5 4.34

The increase in strength using 0 to 1.0% hybrid fibers in

HFRC of M25 mix was upto 25.38% than compared to
controlled concrete without any fibers of similar mix
proportion. Further increase in fibers content decreased
strength compared to lower fibers content. For 1.5% fibers
strength was 11.28% greater than controlled concrete.

Fig.1. Compressive strength of HFRC

 Tensile strength test:

Table.7 Tensile strength of HFRC at 28days curing
Total Volume
Designation Split tensile
fraction of
for concrete strength of HFRC
Hybrid fibers
mix in N/mm2
(%)
A0 0 2.71
A1 0.5 3.18
A2 1 3.43 Fig.3. Flexural strength of HFRC

A3 1.5 3.04  Impact Resistant strength test:

The increase in strength using 0 to 1.0% hybrid fibers in
HFRC of M25 mix was upto 26.56% than compared to
controlled concrete without any fibers of similar mix
proportion. Further increase in fibers content decreased
strength. For 1.5% fibers strength was 12.17% greater
than controlled concrete.
The impact resistant strengths tested on cylinders (1/4th
height) for HFRC were higher compared to controlled
(conventional) concrete. These strength values were
increased with increase in volume fractions of hybrid
fibers. The increase in number of blows on specimen using
0 to 1.5% hybrid fibers in HFRC of M25 mix were 10 to 21

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at initial crack formation and similarly at failure of

specimen blows were 34 to 94.
Table.9 Impact strength of HFRC at 28days curing
Total
Impact resistance
Designation Volume
(no. of blows)
for concrete fraction of
mix Hybrid At Initial
fibers (%) At failure
crack
A0 0 10 34
A1 0.5 12 47
A2 1 18 74
A3 1.5 21 94 Fig.5. Sorptivity results of HFRC

4. DISCUSSIONS:
 Compressive strength at 0.5% and 1.0% were
31.66 N/mm2 and 33.12 N/mm2 respectively. The
percentage increase in strength at 0.5% and 1.0%
were 7.1% and 12.04% respectively compared to
conventional concrete of strength 29.56 N/mm2.

 Tensile strength at 0.5% and 1.0% were 3.18

N/mm2 and 3.43 N/mm2 respectively. The
percentage increase in strength at 0.5% and 1.0%
were 17.34% and 26.56% respectively compared
to conventional concrete of strength 2.71 N/mm2.

 Flexural strength at 0.5% and 1.0% were 4.37

Fig.4. Impact resistant strength of HFRC N/mm2 and 4.89 N/mm2 respectively. The
percentage increase in strength at 0.5% and 1.0%
 Sorptivity test: were 12.05% and 25.38% respectively compared
Table.10 Sorptivity value of HFRC at 45 days curing to conventional concrete of strength 3.90 N/mm2.

Concrete Percentage Dry Wet Sorptivity  Impact strength- The increase in number of blows
mix of volume weight weight value in 10^- on specimen using 0 to 1.5% hybrid fibers in
fraction of in in 7mm/min^0.5 HFRC of M25 mix were 10 to 21 at initial crack
fibers (%) grams grams formation and similarly at failure of specimen
blows were 34 to 94.
A0 0 8247 8253 4.87
 The increase in sorptivity values of hybrid fiber
A1 0.5 8956 8964 6.48
specimen at 0 to 0.5% hybrid fibers in HFRC of
1.0 8732 8748 1.30 M25 mix was 4.87 to 6.48 10^-7mm/min^0.5
A2 respectively. Further increase in fiber at 1.0% and
1.5 8473 8492 1.54 1.5% decreases sorptivity values to 1.30 and 1.54
A3 respectively.
The sorptivity test values were increased with increase in
volume fractions of hybrid fibers upto 0.5%. The increase REFERENCES
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Volume: 02 Issue: 06 | Sep-2015 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072

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engineer and has 22years of
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teaching. He is presently working
as a Professor in Civil engineering department in SDMCET,
Dharawad. He has many research papers published in his
name. He has many papers presented in conferences.

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