The Effect of Straight and Hooked-end Steel Fibers on the Ductility and Performance of Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC)

Self-Compacting Concrete is a new technology involving concrete. It behaves similarly as the normal concrete meaning that it has strong compression strength but low in tension and flexural strength. Thus, SCC is a brittle material. In order to transform the SCC into a ductile material, the usage of short steel fibers are used. The effect of steel fibers on the ductility and performance of SCC is the main objective of this research. A straight steel fiber with dimension of 0.25mm in diameter and 25mm in length as well as a hooked-end steel fiber with dimension of 0.35mm in diameter and 30mm in length are used in this research. The result between the two types of the steel fiber will be compared. The volume fraction of the steel fiber to be inserted inside the SCC is 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0% and 2.5%. Several cubes, beam and cylinder with similar mix proportion but different fraction of fibers were prepared. The sample were then tested with compression test after 3, 14 and 28 days of curing period while flexural and splitting tensile test were conducted after 28 days of curing period. The results between the two fibers were compared with each other as well as with the sample without any fiber. The addition of fibers inside SCC improved its ductility and performance. Both flexural and splitting tensile strength increase up to 82% depending on the percentage of the fibers inserted. The sample with hooked-end steel fibers showed a better result than the straight fiber in the flexural and splitting tensile test