Synergistic Effects of Polypropylene Fibers and Silica Fume on Structural Lightweight Concrete: Analysis of Workability, Thermal Conductivity, and Strength Properties

Structural lightweight concrete (SLWC) is crucial for reducing building weight, reducing structural loads, and enhancing energy efficiency through lower thermal conductivity. This study explores the effects of incorporating silica fume (SF), micro-polypropylene (micro-PP), and macro-PP fibers on the workability, thermal properties, and strength of SLWC. SF was added to all mixtures, substituting 10% of the Portland cement (PC), except for the control mixture. Macro-PP fibers were introduced alone or in combination with micro-PP fibers at volumetric ratios of 0.3% and 0.6%. The study evaluated various parameters, including slump, Vebe time, density, water absorption (WA), ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV), thermal conductivity coefficients (k), compressive strength (CS), and splitting tensile strength (STS) across six different SLWC formulations. The results indicate that while SF negatively impacted the workability of SLWC mortars, it improved CS and STS due to the formation of calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) gels from SF’s high pozzolanic activity. Additionally, using micro-PP fibers in combination with macro-PP fibers rather than solely macro-PP fibers enhanced the workability, CS, and STS of the SLWC samples. Although SF had a minor effect on reducing thermal conductivity, the use of macro-PP fibers alone was more effective for improving thermal properties by creating a more porous structure compared to the hybrid use of micro-PP fibers. Moreover, increasing the ratio of micro- and macro-PP fibers from 0.3% to 0.6% resulted in lower CS values but a significant increase in STS values.