Rock Mechanics
Shahla Miri Darmarani; Erfan Khoshzaher; Hamid Chakeri
Abstract
Shotcrete is used as a component of the support system in tunnels, and one of the methods to enhance its mechanical properties is by incorporating fibers. Fibers can significantly improve the mechanical properties of shotcrete, including compressive and tensile strength. This leads to savings in time, ...
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Shotcrete is used as a component of the support system in tunnels, and one of the methods to enhance its mechanical properties is by incorporating fibers. Fibers can significantly improve the mechanical properties of shotcrete, including compressive and tensile strength. This leads to savings in time, cost, and post-installation maintenance. In recent years, due to the environmental pollution caused by the production of synthetic fibers, there has been increasing interest in using recycled materials, mainly recycled steel fibers from worn tires. The present study is a laboratory-based research program investigating the feasibility of using recycled fibers to improve the mechanical properties of shotcrete. In this study, recycled steel fibers from worn tires and shaves of basalt stone were used to create laboratory samples. The laboratory samples included cubic (10×10 cm) and cylindrical (15×30 cm) specimens with five different mix designs: ordinary shotcrete, shotcrete containing 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2% recycled fibers. These fibers were categorized into three length groups: coarse, mixed, and fine. The laboratory tests included compressive and tensile (Brazilian) strength tests at 3-day intervals. The results of the laboratory studies indicated that recycled fibers from worn tires could significantly enhance the mechanical properties of shotcrete, with a two-fold increase in compressive strength observed when the fiber content was increased by 2%. Moreover, the inclusion of basalt stone shaves not only improved the compressive strength of the samples but also had a substantial effect on enhancing the tensile strength.
