Study on the Hybrid Effect of Basalt and Polypropylene Fibers on the Mechanical Properties of Concrete

Hybrid fiber-reinforced concrete (HFRC), renowned for its significantly enhanced mechanical properties and structural integrity, is widely used in infrastructure construction and has become a key avenue of modern high-performance concrete development. The hybrid application of basalt fiber (BF) and polypropylene fiber (PPF) at optimized ratios generates synergistic effects, improving both mechanical performance and material service reliability. To explore and evaluate the synergistic mechanism of BF-PPF hybrid fibers on concrete’s mechanical properties and performance, this study employs an orthogonal experimental design and mechanical testing methods, measuring the materials’ static compressive strength (loading rate: 0.6 mm/min), splitting tensile strength (loading rate: 0.12-0.14 MPa/s), dynamic elastic modulus (measured by the ultrasonic method), and dynamic compressive strength (loading rates: 0.6 mm/min, 6 mm/min, and 60 mm/min). For these tests, we prepared 100 mm × 100 mm × 100 mm cubic specimens (for static compressive, dynamic compressive, and splitting tensile tests) and 400 mm × 100 mm × 100 mm prismatic specimens (for dynamic elastic modulus tests), with three parallel specimens in each test group. In addition, the microstructure was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to observe the fiber-matrix interaction. The results show that when the BF/PPF volume ratio is 1:2 (BF0.05PPF0.1), the concrete’s compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, and elastic modulus increase by 13.7%, 76.3%, and 116.0%, respectively, with corresponding synergistic effect indices (Q) of 0.057, 0.213, and 0.241, indicating obvious positive synergy. Under dynamic loading, hybrid combinations with higher PPF content (e.g., BF0.05PPF0.1) exhibit strain-rate-dependent enhancements in compressive strength and better impact resistance. SEM analysis reveals that fibers inhibit microcrack propagation through fiber bridging, network distribution, and pull-out resistance, while also improving the interfacial transition zone’s structure. These findings provide theoretical support for the engineering application of composite fiber-reinforced concrete materials.