High-Performance Concrete with Polypropylene Microfibers for Fire Safety.

This paper presents results from experimental studies on the residual mechanical properties of high-performance concrete reinforced with polypropylene microfibers after exposure to elevated temperatures. A conventional concrete (compressive strength of 25 MPa) and high-performance concretes (compressive strength above 78 MPa) with 1, 2, and 3 kg/m3 additions of polypropylene microfibers were developed. The mixtures were subjected to temperatures of 100, 200, and 300°C for 60 minutes. In the second part of this study, a high-performance concrete with 2 kg/m³ of microfibers was analyzed. Compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, and elastic modulus tests were also performed at 200, 400, and 600°C. Results from the experiments show that polypropylene microfibers were extremely important in minimizing the reduction of compressive strength, where the contents of 2 and 3 kg/m3 were the most effective. Through numerical simulation, it was possible to find the longitudinal elastic modulus and the Poisson’s coefficient at each temperature tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]