Experimental Study on Performance of Fibre Reinforced Nanosilica Concrete

Nanotechnology offers promising enhancements to concrete, with nanoparticles augmenting its strength, workability, and durability. This study focuses on employing nano-sized cement as a replacement for conventional cement, particularly utilizing nano-silica due to its beneficial pozzolanic interaction with cement hydration products. Nano-silica effectively modifies concrete's durability by refining pore size and distribution. Experimental investigations reveal an optimal nano-silica replacement dosage of 1.5% to 3% b.w.c , beyond which efficacy diminishes. Further improvements are achieved by combining 0.5% nano-silica with 5% silica fume and varying percentages of aramid, steel, and polypropylene fibres. Notably, the inclusion of 0.1% steel, 0.2% polypropylene, and 0.03% aramid fibres by weight of volume, along with 5% silica fume and 0.5% nano-silica b.w.c , results in substantial compressive strength enhancements, as demonstrated by experimental findings. Key Words: Concrete, Nanosilica, Mixing Technique, Aramid, Compressive Strength.