For the Improvement of Mechanical and Microstructural Properties of UHPC with Fiber Alignment using Carbon Nanotube and Graphite Nanoplatelet
Abstract
This paper investigates the influence of carbon nanotube (CNT) and graphite nanoplatelet (GNP) on the microstructure and mechanical characteristics of UHPC with steel fiber alignment. The content of CNT and GNP ranged from 0 to 0.3%, by mass of binder. Predominant fiber alignment was manipulated using a flow-induced casting method during UHPC placement. Experiment results indicated that the increase of CNT and GNP content from 0 to 0.3% led to 15%, 40%, and 50% improvement in compressive strength, flexural strength, and T150 (dissipated energy) of UHPC, respectively. Fiber alignment was shown to increase flexural strength and T150 by 30% and 35%, respectively, compared to UHPC with random finer orientation. Moreover, the synergy of nanomaterial and fiber alignment can lead to a maximum enhancement of 80% and 90% in flexural strength and T150, respectively. Microstructural analysis indicated that CNT and GNP can enhance cement hydration and enable the bridging of cracks at nano or microscale. Moreover, the use of CNT and GNP reduced the porosities of fiber-matrix interface from 6%-12.5% to 4%-7% and UHPC matrix from 5.5% to 4%. This consequently contributed to the significant improvement in mechanical properties of UHPC.
Recommended Citation
H. Huang et al., "For the Improvement of Mechanical and Microstructural Properties of UHPC with Fiber Alignment using Carbon Nanotube and Graphite Nanoplatelet," Cement and Concrete Composites, vol. 129, article no. 104462, Elsevier, May 2022.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2022.104462
Department(s)
Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
Keywords and Phrases
Carbon Nanotube; Fiber Alignment; Graphite Nanoplatelet; Microstructure and Mechanical Properties; UHPC
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
0958-9465
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Citation
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2022 Elsevier, All rights reserved.
Publication Date
01 May 2022
Comments
This work was carried out at the Clayco Advanced Construction and Material Laboratory (ACML) of the Center for Infrastructure Engineering Studies (CIES) and supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant number: U2106220).