EFFECT OF STEEL FIBERS ON PROPERTIES OF CONCRETE FLOORING

Concrete is a non-homogeneous material and it has high compressive strength but it is weak in tension. Cracks occur when tensile stresses exceeded. Improving of concrete properties by adding steel fibers to plain concrete to overcome the weakness of concrete. In this paper steel fibers (S.F) is added with (1mm) diameter and (50mm) long i.e. spect ratio (l/d=50) to plain concrete to study its effect on properties of concrete (workability, compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, flexural strength, abrasion resistance, and absorption). The tested variables are characteristics of concrete (f_cu30MPa and f_cu40MPa) with steel fibers content (0.4%, 0.5%, and 0.6%) by volume of concrete, and all specimens are tested at 28 days.  The results show an increases in compressive strength  by (6%, 12 % and 17%) for f_cu30 MPa and (8%, 13% and 16%) for f_cu40 MPa for fiber content 0.4, 0.5 and 0.6% respectively. The tensile strength increases by (38%, 59% and 67%) for f_cu30 and (21%, 35%, 53%) respectively for f_cu40. Abrasion  resistance is increased by (14%, 29%, and 31%) for f_cu30 and (6%,25% and 26%) for f_cu40  respectively. The absoribtion of concrete is also enhanced by (7%, 14%  and  26%) for f_cu30, and  (25%, 33% and 55%) for f_cu40. The flexural strength is enhanced by (10%, 15%and 20%) for f_cu30 and (12%, 37%, 40%) f_cu40 respectively. While the workability decreases significantly for all mixes containing steel fiber compared to control mix.