Study on the Effect of Basalt Fiber on the Mechanical Properties of Recycled Micro Powder Mortar

TL;DR

This study shows that adding basalt fiber improves the strength of recycled micro-powder mortar, though it reduces flowability.

Contribution

A new early strength prediction model for basalt fiber-modified recycled mortar is proposed with high accuracy.

Findings

Basalt fiber increased compressive strength by up to 30% at 30% recycled powder replacement.

SEM analysis showed improved matrix densification and interface bonding due to basalt fiber.

The early strength prediction model achieved an R² value greater than 0.92.

Abstract

To improve the workability and mechanical properties of Recycled Micro-Powder (RP) mortar, basalt fiber (BF) was used for modification in this study. Experimental groups with different BF contents (0%, 0.1%, 0.15%, and 0.2%) were designed to investigate the effects of BF on the flowability, flexural strength, and compressive strength of RP mortar. The microscopic reinforcement mechanism was further revealed through Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Additionally, an early strength prediction model for the mortar considering the synergistic effect of BF and RP was established. The results show that the incorporation of BF significantly enhanced the mechanical properties of RP mortar. At the 28-day curing age, when the RP replacement rate was 10% and BF content was 0.15%, the flexural strength increased by 9.7%, and the compressive strength increased by 17.3%. At an RP replacement rate of 30%, the compressive strength still increased by over 30%, demonstrating a good “performance compensation” effect. However, the inclusion of BF also led to a decrease in flowability, with a maximum reduction of 25.5%. SEM analysis revealed that BF improved the matrix densification and interface bonding performance through crack bridging and physical anchoring. The established early strength prediction model achieved a high goodness of fit (R2 > 0.92), indicating high accuracy and engineering applicability.

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