Experimental study on steel fiber reinforced concrete modified with egg shell powder and nano silica

Department of Civil Engineering, Mangalam College of Engineering, Kottayam, 686631, Kerala, India

^* Corresponding author:aswathy.soman@mangalam.in

Abstract

This work presents the mechanical characteristics of concrete enhanced with egg shell powder (ESP) and nano-silica (NS) along with steel fibres. Steel fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC) offers several benefits, including prevention of macro cracks, improving ductility and residual strength and increasing toughness. These benefits make SFRC a valuable choice for structural applications requiring enhanced durability, crack resistance, and resilience to mechanical stresses. To develop the modified concrete mixture the Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC 53 grade) was partially replaced with varying percentage such as 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15% of ESP and NS by weight of the total binder content. Steel fibers were merged into the concrete at a volume fraction of 1.5% by weight of concrete to boost the engineering characteristics of concrete. The effect of ESP and NS were observed on compressive, flexural and split tensiles trength of the concrete. The test was conducted after 7 and 28days of curing period. The inclusion of 10% and 15% percentage of ESP and NS gives high mechanical properties. The findings validated the suitability and efficacy of employing ESP and NS as partial substitutes for OPC, leading to substantial enhancements in the engineering characteristics of SFRC.