Effect of pond ash and steel fibre on mechanical behaviour of concrete

This is a work on the effect of pond ash-modified fibre-reinforced concrete. Pond ash and discrete steel fibres of length 50 mm and diameter 1 mm were used in testing. Significant engineering properties such as compressive strength, split tensile strength, flexural strength and elastic modulus of fibre-reinforced pond ash-modified concrete were determined. The pond ash content was varied as 0%, 10%, 20% and 30% by weight of cement and the steel fibre content was varied as 0%, 0.5%, 1% and 2% by volume of concrete. The above-mentioned tests were carried out for curing periods of 7 days, 14 days and 28 days. Elastic modulus of elasticity was calculated for a curing period of 28 days. Addition of steel fibre improved the split tensile strength and flexural strength of concrete when compared with plain concrete. The flexural behaviour of plain concrete beams and fibre-reinforced pond ash modified concrete beams was analysed. Laboratory scale beams were cast and tested under three-point bending system to study the yield load, ultimate load, first cracking load, failure modes, crack patterns, ductility index and flexural rigidity.