Effect of Incorporating Crimped Steel Fibers on the Durability of High-Strength Metakaolin Blended Concrete

Abstract

Cement concrete is the most often utilized material in many structures. Concrete that has been properly built and prepared has high strength and durability. Even well-designed and constructed cement concrete mixes under regulated conditions have limitations, which lead the above-mentioned concrete qualities to be unsuitable for certain situations and buildings. The primary constituent in typical concrete is Portland cement. The amount of cement produced releases roughly the same amount of carbon dioxide into the environment. Cement manufacture consumes a substantial quantity of natural resources. To combat the aforementioned negative consequences, the development of newer materials and building processes, as well as the incorporation of other items with varied uses, has become necessary. The availability of mineral admixtures signaled the beginning of a new age in concrete mix design, with increasing and higher strengths. Metakaolin is a novel mineral admixture whose potential has not been completely realized. Furthermore, just a few research have been conducted in India on the usage of Metakaolin for the construction of high strength concrete. This study examines how crimped steel fibers affect the mechanical and long-term characteristics of metakaolin-blended high-strength concrete (HSC) of M50 grade. Concrete that contains "metakaolin, a highly reactive pozzolanic" substance, has been shown to have increased resistance to chemical assaults, decreased permeability, and greater compressive strength. By incorporating crimped steel fibres of aspect ratio 80(36mm long and 0.45mm diameter) into the metakaolin- blended concrete matrix, this study investigates the resulting improvements in tensile strength, impact resistance, and long-term durability. The experiments involve meticulous mix design optimization, comprehensive tests to evaluate mechanical properties, and thorough exposure conditions to assess durability. The results indicate that, "compared to plain high-strength concrete", the addition of crimped steel fibres significantly enhances structural performance and resilience to aggressive environments. This work underscores the potential of fibre-reinforced metakaolin-blended concrete in critical infrastructural applications where reliability and longevity are paramount.