MODE II FRACTURE BEHAVIOR OF GEOPOLYMER CONCRETE STEEL, POLYPROPYLENE AND HYBRID FIBERS

Abstract

Geopolymer is a synthetic material formed through the chemical reaction of source materials, such as fly ash or slag,
with an alkaline solution. It offers potential benefits regarding reduced carbon emissions compared to traditional
cement production and improved durability and resistance to various environmental conditions. Geopolymers have
been explored for various applications, including construction, waste encapsulation, and high-temperature resistant
coatings. Fiber- reinforced geopolymer concrete combines the advantages of geopolymer technology and fiber
reinforcement, resulting in a composite material with improved tensile, flexural, and fracture characteristics.
The incorporation of fibers was found to control crack propagation effectively. delay crack initiation and improve the
overall fracture resistance of the material. The inherent brittle nature of geopolymer concrete is mitigated by the
addition of fibers, which act as crack arrestors and provide enhanced post-cracking performance. Various types of
fibers, such as steel, glass, polymeric, and natural fibers, have been investigated for their effectiveness in improving
fracture toughness.
The present study focuses on the fracture (Mode II) behavior of fiber-reinforced geopolymer concrete. In this study,
two different types of fibers will be used viz polypropylene and hooked steel fibers. Six different proportion
combinations of 0% (control,GP1),1% steel (GP2) , 1% PP (GP3), 0.25%PP+0.75%steel (GP4), 0.5% PP+0.5% Steel
(GP5), and 0.25%steel+0.75%PP (GP6) were used. Two different types of mode II fracture tests were conducted and
calculated the fracture energies and found that steel fibers are more efficient and exert higher facture energy