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International Journal Of Engineering And Computer Science ISSN:2319-7242
Volume 2 Issue 12 Dec,2013 Page No. 3544-3547

Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete & Its Properties

Shrikant Harle, Prof. Ram Meghe
Department of Civil Engineering,
College of Engineering, Amravati (M.S.)
Email ID: [email protected]

Abstract:
Glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC) is a recent introduction in the field of civil engineering. So, it
has been extensively used in many countries since its introduction two decades ago. This product has
advantage of being light weight and thereby reducing the overall cost of construction, ultimately bringing
economy in construction. Steel reinforcement corrosion and structural deterioration in reinforced concrete
structures are common and prompted many researchers to seek alternative materials and rehabilitation
techniques. So, researchers all over the world are attempting to develop high performance concrete using
glass fibers and other admixtures in the concrete up to certain extent. In the view of global sustainable
scenario, it is imperative that fibers like glass, carbon, aramid and poly-propylene provide very wide
improvements in tensile strength, fatigue characteristics, durability, shrinkage characteristics, impact,
cavitations, erosion resistance and serviceability of concrete. The present work is only an accumulation of
information about GFRC and the research work which is already carried out by other researchers.
Introduction with each other and it depend upon wide range of
variables. These include method of manufacture,
Concrete is the most widely used construction mix formulation, fiber product type, length,
material which has several desirable properties orientation and admixture used.
like high compressive strength, stiffness and
durability under normal usual environmental
factors. While at the same time concrete found to 1.1 Types and properties of glass fibers
be brittle and weak in tension. It is well known
that concrete mixed with other material was Glass fibers are available in continuous or
applied for resistance purpose. chopped lengths. Glass fibers have large tensile
strength and elastic modulus but have brittle
Steel rebar has historically been used as an stress-strain characteristics and low creep at room
effective and cost efficient concrete temperature. Glass fibers are usually are usually
reinforcement. While when the concrete is not round and straight with diameters from 0.005 mm
subjected to chloride ion attack, steel to 0.015 mm. They can be also bonded together to
reinforcement can last for decades without produce the bundle of glass fibers with diameter
exhibiting any visible signs of deterioration. up to 1.3 mm.
Glass fiber reinforced concrete (GRC) is a 1.2 Materials and methods
composite material consisting of a mortar of
hydraulic Portland cement and fine aggregate Cement: Ordinary Portland cement (OPC) of 53
reinforced with alkali resistant glass fibers. The grade confirming to IS: 8112 can be used. The
material properties, component design and method cement to be used should be tested for various
of manufacture of GRC products are interrelated proportions as per IS: 4031-1988.

Shrikant Harle, IJECS Volume 2 Issue 12 Dec, 2013 Page No.3544 -3547 Page 3544
Water: The coarse aggregate to be chosen for The experimental work [8] dealt with the
GFRC should be typically angular in shape, well use of glass fiber in concrete which was obtained
graded and smaller in maximum size that suited from the glass industry as a waste product. It was
for conventional concrete. found that the compressive strength of concrete
did not increase much but the flexural strength
Coarse aggregate & Fine aggregate: Coarse showed almost 30% increase in strength. The
aggregate of around 20 mm size should be slump value found to be decreased with increase
suitable for GFRC. The specific gravity fineness in fiber content. It was found that the use of fiber
modulus should be noted. River sand can be used glass in concrete not only improved the properties
as fine aggregate. Aggregates sizes and properties of concrete but also small cost cutting.
should be in confirmation with IS 383:1970.
With the Glass fiber reinforced concrete
1. REVIEW OF LITERATURE [6], building rehabilitation, more than its
technique rehabilitation, either thermal and / or
Concrete is the most widely used acoustic isolation, is also able to include a
construction material and has several desirable significant improvement in the architectural point
properties like high compressive strength, of view of the intervention. GFRC found to be a
stiffness and durability under usual environmental suitable material in rehabilitation. It also found to
factors. Normally reinforcement consists of be very economic when applied architectural
continuous deformed steel bars or pre- items.
stressing tendons [2]. The strength and durability
of concrete can be changed by making appropriate The experimental investigation was carried
changes in its ingredients like cementitious out on the alkali resistant glass fibers [1] to study
material, aggregate and water by adding some the effect on compressive, tensile strength, split
special ingredients. Therefore concrete can be tensile and flexural strength on M20, M30, M40
considered as a suitable material for a wide range and M50 grades of concrete. It was observed that
of application. percentage increase of compressive strength of
various concrete grades of glass fiber concrete
The experimental work was carried out by mixes compared with 28 days compressive
hand layup method [7], for that GFRP sheets were strength observed from 20 to 25%. Also reduction
used, like E-class glass continuous filament mat in bleeding observed by addition of glass fibers in
and woven roving mat. From the experimental the glass fiber concrete mixes.
study on reinforced concrete beams it was found
that cost of woven roving wrap was more as
2. RESULTS AND COMPARISON
compared to single mat and double mat wrap but
load carrying capacity also increased as compared The comparison is done for adding varying
single mat and double mat wrap. While it was also amount of glass fibers, plain cement concrete with
found that retrofitting was always affordable to zero percent fiber with the same material. The
strengthen the structure than replacement. results of the compressive strength, flexural
Glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) has strength and split tensile strength are as presented
a very important role to play as reinforcement in in the following table.
concrete structures which is exposed to harsh
environment conditions where traditional steel
reinforcement could corrode [5]. It was found that
the unique physical properties of GFRP that made
it suitable for applications where conventional
steel would be unsuitable.

Shrikant Harle, IJECS Volume 2 Issue 12 Dec, 2013 Page No.3544 -3547 Page 3545
 Table 1: Comparison of Compressive y, et al replaceme %)
strength nt of
aggregate
)
Author types of grade no compressive
glass of of strength
fiber concr da Chand AR glass M30 28 4.7 4.12
ete ys ramou fiber(as 8
li K, addition) (0.
with wiht et al 03
gf out %)
(MP gf
a) (MPa
)
Table 3: Comparison of Compressive
strength & split tensile strength
Yogesh waste M30 28 38.2 38
murthy, et glass 2
al fiber (as (0.5 Author type grad n compress Split
replace %) s of e of o ive tensile
ment of glas con of strength strength
aggregat s cret da
e) fiber e ys
wit wih wit wih
h tout h gf tout
Chandram AR M30 28 48.5 41.5 gf gf (M gf
ouli K, et glass 6 (M (M Pa) (M
al fiber(as (0.0 Pa) Pa) Pa)
addition 3
) %)
kavita AR M2 2 35( 32 2.6 2.1
S glas 0 8 0.5 (0.5
Kene, s %) %)
et al fiber
Table 2: Comparison of Flexural strength (as
addi
tion
%
Autho types of grad no Flexural by
r glass e of of strength wei
fiber conc da ght
rete ys of
wit wiht cem
h out ent)
gf gf
(M (MP
Pa) a) Chandr AR M2 2 42. 36. 4.2 3.6
amouli glas 0 8 46 6 (0.0 2
K, et al s (0. 3%)
Yoges waste M30 28 4.5 4.1 fiber 03
h glass (0. (as %)
murth fiber (as 5 addi

Shrikant Harle, IJECS Volume 2 Issue 12 Dec, 2013 Page No.3544 -3547 Page 3546
 tion) engineering and management science, vol
2, no-4.
5) Michael kemp and David Blowes (2011),
CONCLUSION Concrete reinforcement and glass fiber
reinforced polymer, Queensland roads,
From the above results and comparison it edition no-11.
can be stated that the alkali resistant glass fibers 6) N Abrantes, V Abrantes and R Abrentes
(Cem-FIL anti-Crack HD) shown good results as (2008), Application of GRC- glass fiber
compared to other glass fibers. Compressive reinforced concrete in building
strength, flexural strength and split tensile strength rehabilitation, International journal for
for these AR glass fibers are more as compared to housing science, vol.32, no-1, pp 41-50.
other glass fibers. 7) Sandeep G. Sawant, A. B. Sawant and
M. B. Kumthekar (2013), Strengthening of
It can also be concluded that Flexural
R.C.C. beam–using different glass fibers,
strength and split tensile strength shows almost 15
International journal of inventive
to 20% increase in strength as compared to 0%
engineering and sciences, vol 1, issue 2.
glass fibers. Also the percentage increase of
8) Yogesh Iyer Murthy, Apporv Sharda and
compressive strength of glass fiber concrete mixes
Gourav Jain (2012), Performance of glass
compared with 28 days compressive strength is
fiber reinforced concrete, International
found to be 20 to 25 %.
journal of engineering and innovative
technology, vol 1, Issue 6.

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Shrikant Harle, IJECS Volume 2 Issue 12 Dec, 2013 Page No.3544 -3547 Page 3547