Effect of Steel Fibers on Shear Carrying Capacity of Rubberized Geopolymer Concrete Beams

Geopolymer concrete (GPC) offers reduced carbon emissions and employs industrial by-products such as fly ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS). In this study, the synergistic augmentation of shear carrying capacity in steel-fiber-reinforced rubberized geopolymer concrete (FRGC) incorp...

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Main Authors: Divya S Nair, T Meena
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Buildings
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/13/2248
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author Divya S Nair
T Meena
author_facet Divya S Nair
T Meena
author_sort Divya S Nair
collection DOAJ
description Geopolymer concrete (GPC) offers reduced carbon emissions and employs industrial by-products such as fly ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS). In this study, the synergistic augmentation of shear carrying capacity in steel-fiber-reinforced rubberized geopolymer concrete (FRGC) incorporating industrial by-products such as fly ash, GGBFS, and recycled rubber for sustainable construction is investigated. The reinforced rubberized geopolymer concrete (RFRGC) mixtures contained 20% rubber crumbs as a partial replacement for fine aggregate, uniform binder, and alkaline activator. The findings revealed that 1.25% steel fiber achieved optimal hardened properties (compressive strength, flexural, and split tensile strength), with 12 M sodium hydroxide and oven curing achieving maximum values. An increase in molarity improved geopolymerization, with denser matrices, while oven curing boosted polymerization, enhancing the bonding between the matrix and the fiber. The effect of steel fiber on the shear carrying capacity of RFRGC beams without stirrups is also discussed in this paper. An increased fiber content led to an increased shear carrying capacity, characterized by an improvement in first crack load and a delayed ultimate failure. These results contribute to sustainable concrete technologies for specifically designed FRGC systems that can balance structural toughness, providing viable alternatives to traditional concrete without compromising strength capacity.
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spelling doaj-art-819f99a3dc4c4e739c86fa3da12a79cb2025-07-11T14:37:25ZengMDPI AGBuildings2075-53092025-06-011513224810.3390/buildings15132248Effect of Steel Fibers on Shear Carrying Capacity of Rubberized Geopolymer Concrete BeamsDivya S Nair0T Meena1School of Civil Engineering, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, IndiaSchool of Civil Engineering, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, IndiaGeopolymer concrete (GPC) offers reduced carbon emissions and employs industrial by-products such as fly ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS). In this study, the synergistic augmentation of shear carrying capacity in steel-fiber-reinforced rubberized geopolymer concrete (FRGC) incorporating industrial by-products such as fly ash, GGBFS, and recycled rubber for sustainable construction is investigated. The reinforced rubberized geopolymer concrete (RFRGC) mixtures contained 20% rubber crumbs as a partial replacement for fine aggregate, uniform binder, and alkaline activator. The findings revealed that 1.25% steel fiber achieved optimal hardened properties (compressive strength, flexural, and split tensile strength), with 12 M sodium hydroxide and oven curing achieving maximum values. An increase in molarity improved geopolymerization, with denser matrices, while oven curing boosted polymerization, enhancing the bonding between the matrix and the fiber. The effect of steel fiber on the shear carrying capacity of RFRGC beams without stirrups is also discussed in this paper. An increased fiber content led to an increased shear carrying capacity, characterized by an improvement in first crack load and a delayed ultimate failure. These results contribute to sustainable concrete technologies for specifically designed FRGC systems that can balance structural toughness, providing viable alternatives to traditional concrete without compromising strength capacity.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/13/2248fly ashgeopolymerizationreinforced rubberized geopolymer concreterecycled rubbersteel fiber
spellingShingle Divya S Nair
T Meena
Effect of Steel Fibers on Shear Carrying Capacity of Rubberized Geopolymer Concrete Beams
Buildings
fly ash
geopolymerization
reinforced rubberized geopolymer concrete
recycled rubber
steel fiber
title Effect of Steel Fibers on Shear Carrying Capacity of Rubberized Geopolymer Concrete Beams
title_full Effect of Steel Fibers on Shear Carrying Capacity of Rubberized Geopolymer Concrete Beams
title_fullStr Effect of Steel Fibers on Shear Carrying Capacity of Rubberized Geopolymer Concrete Beams
title_full_unstemmed Effect of Steel Fibers on Shear Carrying Capacity of Rubberized Geopolymer Concrete Beams
title_short Effect of Steel Fibers on Shear Carrying Capacity of Rubberized Geopolymer Concrete Beams
title_sort effect of steel fibers on shear carrying capacity of rubberized geopolymer concrete beams
topic fly ash
geopolymerization
reinforced rubberized geopolymer concrete
recycled rubber
steel fiber
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/13/2248
work_keys_str_mv AT divyasnair effectofsteelfibersonshearcarryingcapacityofrubberizedgeopolymerconcretebeams
AT tmeena effectofsteelfibersonshearcarryingcapacityofrubberizedgeopolymerconcretebeams