The effect of steel fiber size on the properties of fresh and hardened self-compacting concrete incorporating marble powder

The current study aims at highlighting the fresh and hardened characteristics of self-compacting concrete (SCC) incorporating marble powder and steel fibers at different sizes. Seven SCC mixtures were investigated with two different types of steel fibers were used in combination at different proportions, keeping the total fiber content constant at 72 kg/m3, 400 kg/m3 of cement and 80kg of marble powder was substituted by weight of fine and coarse aggregate. Slump flow time and diameter, L-Box, and sieve segregation test were performed to assess the fresh properties of the concrete. Compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, fracture energy and ultrasonic pulse velocity of the concrete were determined for the hardened properties.

The results indicate that marble powder with high fineness can be used with steel fiber to produce reinforced self-compacting concrete (RSCC) with an improvement in the hardened properties, even though there is some reduction in the fresh properties because of the use of large steel fibers.