Performance Assessment of Hybrid Polypropylene Fiber-Reinforced Concrete for Rigid Pavement Structures

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of fiber reinforcement on the mechanical strength and energy absorption capacity of concrete under varying watert/cement(w/c) ratios and aggregate gradations, using commercially available sikafiber and polimono fibers. Using the Taguchi method, four levels of w/c ratio, fiber content and gradation were optimized. When only sikafiber was used, compressive strength increased by 4% and flexural strength by 9.2%. With polimono fiber, increases of 3.3% and 7.3% were observed, respectively. The combined use of both fibers resulted in a 7.5% increase in compressive strength and a 43% increase in flexural strength. Increasing fiber content improved the energy absorption capacity by 173.957%. Fiber addition reduced the brittleness of concrete and enhanced its ductility, thereby improving structural performance. These findings indicate that fiber-reinforced concretes are an effective option for structural applications requiring enhanced strength and durability.