Xuezhi Wang

In recent years, high-ductility concrete (HDC) has gradually become popular in the construction industry because of its excellent ductility and crack resistance. Concrete itself is a kind of building material with poor tensile properties, and it is necessary to add a large number of steel bars to improve its tensile properties, which increases the construction cost of buildings. However, most of the research studies on high-ductility concrete are scattered. In this paper, the basic mechanical properties of high-ductility concrete and the effects of dry and wet cycles, freeze–thaw cycles, and salt erosion on the durability of high-ductility concrete are obtained by comprehensive analysis. The results show that the tensile properties of HDC can be significantly improved by adding appropriate fiber. When the volume fraction of steel fiber is 2.0%, the splitting tensile strength of concrete is increased by 98.3%. The crack width threshold of concrete chloride erosion is 55–80 μm, and when the crack width threshold is exceeded, the diffusion of CL-1 will be accelerated, and the HDC can control the crack within the threshold, thereby improving the durability of the concrete. Finally, the current research status of high-ductility concrete is analyzed, and the future development of high-ductility concrete is proposed.

The use of silico-manganese slag as a substitute for cement in the preparation of concrete will not only reduce pollution in the atmosphere and on land due to solid waste but also reduce the cost of concrete. To explore this possibility, silico-manganese slag concrete was prepared by using silico-manganese slag as an auxiliary cementitious material instead of ordinary silicate cement. The mechanical properties of the silico-manganese slag concrete were investigated by means of slump and cubic compressive strength tests. The rates of mass loss and strength loss of silico-manganese slag concrete were tested after 25, 50, and 75 cycles. The effect of the silica–manganese slag admixture on the microfine structure and properties of concrete was also investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Finally, the damage to the silica–manganese slag concrete after numerous salt freezing cycles was predicted using the Weibull model. The maximum enhancement of slump and compressive strength by silica–manganese slag was 17.64% and 11.85%, respectively. The minimum loss of compressive strength after 75 cycles was 9.954%, which was 34.96% lower than that of the basic group. An analysis of the data showed that the optimal substitution rate of silica–manganese slag is 10%. It was observed by means of electron microscope scanning that the matrix structure was denser and had less connected pores and that the most complete hydration reaction occurred with a 10% replacement of silica–manganese slag, where an increase in the number of bladed tobermorite and flocculated C-S-H gels was observed to form a three-dimensional reticulated skeleton structure. We decided to use strength damage as a variable, and the two-parameter Weibull theory was chosen to model the damage. The final comparison of the fitted data with the measured data revealed that the model has a good fitting effect, with a fitting parameter above 0.916. This model can be applied in real-world projects and provides a favorable basis for the study of damage to silica–manganese slag concrete under the action of salt freezing.

The application of carbon fiber in cement matrix has some disadvantages, such as poor dispersion and poor interfacial adhesion. In order to improve the interaction between carbon fiber and cement matrix and improve the properties of cement-based composites, carbon fiber was modified by electrophoretic deposition of nano-graphene oxide (GO). In this paper, the effects of doping CF into the cement matrix before and after GO modification are studied comparatively in terms of electrical conductivity, electrothermal warming effect, and pressure-sensitive properties of the cement matrix. It was found that the GO-modified CF reduces both the electrical resistivity of cementitious composites and the required level of fiber incorporation compared to CF. The percolation threshold is 0.7 wt% for CF and 0.5 wt% for GO-CF. The GO-modified CF is more effective than CF as a conductive filler to enhance the electrothermal warming performance of the cement matrix. When the GO-CF doping rate is 0.5%, the specimen temperature increases most rapidly, and the temperature rise value reaches a maximum of up to 30.45 °C, which is twice that of the CF group. When the fiber content is 0.7%, the pressure sensitivity of the sample was the best. When the fiber content is 0.5%, GO-CF can improve the pressure sensitivity of cement mortar specimens, and increase the resistance change rate of the cement mortar specimens by 5.7%.

Fiber concrete exhibits superior performance in various aspects compared to plain concrete and has been widely researched and applied worldwide. However, many industrially made fibers are expensive, and their cost has to be considered before use; thus, it would be economically valuable to find inexpensive fibers with excellent properties to make fiber concrete. Rural areas have many rich straw resources to be disposed of; at the same time, the rapid development of the automobile industry has introduced a large number of used tires containing steel wire with a very low reuse rate. These two low-cost materials can be processed to make fibers, making the study of mechanical properties regarding their incorporation into concrete practically significant for reducing the cost of fiber concrete. Based on this, a three-factor, three-level orthogonal test was conducted to investigate the effects of different dosages of corn straw fibers and scrap steel fibers, as well as the water–cement ratio, on the mechanical properties of concrete. The optimum level of each factor for blended straw–waste-steel-fiber concrete with different mechanical properties was obtained using the polar and ANOVA methods. It was found that the compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, flexural strength, and impact resistance of the specimens after fiber dosing were better than those of plain concrete specimens with the same water–cement ratio. The maximum improvement was 14.96% in cubic compressive strength, 42.90% in tensile strength, and 16.30% in flexural strength, while the maximum improvement in impact energy consumption at the final crack was 228.03%. Combined with SEM microanalysis, the two fibers formed a stronger whole with the C-S-H gel. When the specimen was subjected to load, the two fibers were able to withstand part of the load, thus enhancing the load-bearing capacity. Finally, the optimal mix ratio of blended straw–scrap-steel-fiber concrete was determined to be 0.8% corn straw fibers by volume, 0.6% scrap steel fibers by volume, and a 0.45 water–cement ratio by combining the weights of the levels of each factor under its four different mechanical properties through hierarchical analysis. This analysis of mechanical properties provides a reference for practical applications in future projects.

When using seawater and sea sand as mixes, the mechanical properties and durability of concrete are adversely affected because the raw materials themselves contain harmful ions. Fly ash is the tailings formed in the process of industrial production, the use of which does not require the burning of clinker, reducing CO₂ emissions. Moreover, it belongs to a new type of cementitious materials with low emissions and high environmental protection. Fly ash enhances the properties of concrete and reduces the effect of harmful ions on concrete. Based on the above considerations, the corresponding specimens were prepared and subjected to cubic compressive strength, flexural strength, and seawater freezing and thawing resistance tests by using fly ash admixture as the main variable. A combination of macro-analysis and micro-analysis was used to investigate the effect of fly ash on the performance of seawater sea sand concrete. The results showed that fly ash significantly enhanced the mechanical properties and resistance to seawater freezing and thawing of seawater sea sand concrete. The best improvement in compressive strength and resistance to seawater freezing and thawing was achieved at a substitution rate of 20%. The maximum increase in compressive strength was 13.22%. The maximum reduction in mass loss rate was 57.26% and the strength loss rate was 43.14% after the specimens were subjected to seawater freezing and thawing 75 times. The maximum enhancement in flexural strength was 17.06% for a substitution rate of 10%. Through microanalysis, it can be seen that the incorporation of coal ash can enhance the compactness of concrete through the microaggregate effect as well as the volcanic ash reaction to promote the secondary hydration reaction, so as to strengthen the seawater freeze–thaw resistance of seawater sea sand concrete. Finally, the damage prediction model established using the mean GM (1, 1) model of gray system theory meets the requirements of the first level of prediction accuracy and can accurately predict the damage of seawater sea sand concrete under seawater freezing and thawing.

The use of seawater and sea sand as replacements for fresh water and river sand in the preparation of seawater and sea sand concrete can effectively address issues such as high transportation costs, extended construction periods, and resource wastage. Nevertheless, in northern coastal areas, the problem of concrete durability in the complex and changing marine environment is more prominent. Research on the durability of seawater sea sand concrete is beneficial to the widening of its application range. To investigate the impact of glass fiber (GF) and polyvinyl alcohol fiber (PVA) with different blending methods on the seawater freeze–thaw resistance of seawater sea sand concrete (SSC), corresponding specimens were prepared, and seawater freeze–thaw cycling tests were conducted. By adopting the slow-freezing method and combining macro-structure and micro-morphology, the damage mechanism and the deterioration law of fiber-reinforced SSC under seawater freezing and thawing were investigated. The results indicate that, macroscopically, the incorporation of GF and PVA can effectively mitigate the damage to the matrix and reduce the effects of external erosive substances on the rate of strength loss, the rate of mass loss, and the relative dynamic elastic modulus. After 75 cycles, the SSC with a total volume doping of 0.3% and a blending ratio of 1:1 showed a 41.23% and 27.55% reduction in mass loss and strength loss, respectively, and a 29.9% improvement in relative dynamic elastic modulus compared with the basic group. Microscopic analysis reveals that the combined effect of freezing and expansion forces, the expansive substances generated by seawater intrusion into the interior of the matrix, and salt crystallization all weaken the bond between aggregate and mortar, leading to accelerated deterioration of the concrete. The incorporation of fibers enables the matrix to become denser and improves its crack-resistant properties, resulting in a better durability than that of the basic group. The damage prediction model established by the NSGM(1,N) model of gray system theory exhibits high accuracy and is suitable for long-term prediction, accurately predicting the damage of seawater sea sand concrete under seawater freeze–thaw coupling.

A total of 66 sets of pullout specimens were prepared to investigate the bonding properties of basalt fiber-reinforced polymer reinforcement (hereinafter referred to as BFRP) with seawater sand concrete (hereinafter referred to as SSC). The volume dosages of mono-doped glass fibers and mono-doped polypropylene fibers were 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.3%; the total volume dosage was set to be constant at 0.3%; and the doping ratios of the hybrid fibers were 1:2, 1:1, and 2:1. The effect on the bonding performance of BFRP reinforcement with SSC was studied on the condition of the diameter D of the BFRP reinforcement being 12 mm; the bond length of SSC being 3D, 5D, and 7D; and the surface characteristics of the reinforcement being sandblasted and threaded. The research showed that due to internal cracks in the matrix, salt crystals in the pores, chloride salts with high brittleness and expansion, as well as sulfate corrosion products such as “Frederick salts” in SSC, the concrete became brittle, resulting in more brittle splitting failures during the pullout test. Doped fibers can increase the ductility effect of concrete, but the bonding effect between the threaded fiber reinforcement and the SSC was not as good as that of the sandblasting group. When the bond length was 5D, the bonding effect between the BFRP reinforcement and SSC was the best, and the bonding performance of the experimental group with doped fibers was better than that of the threaded group. Finally, by combining the ascending segment of the Malvar model with the descending segment of the improved BPE model, a constitutive relationship model suitable for the bond–slip curve between BFRP reinforcement and SSC was fitted, which laid a theoretical foundation for future research on SSC.

Permeable pavements can decrease the volume of stormwater, thereby mitigating the risk of flooding and reducing the urban heat island effect. This study investigated the influence of incorporating granulated blast-furnace slag (GBFS), hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), and polypropylene plastic textile fiber (PPTF) on the mechanical properties and water permeability of pervious concrete. Orthogonal tests were employed to conduct the analysis. The findings indicate that the pervious concrete with GBFS, HPMC, and PPTF (termed GBFS-HPMC/fiber pervious concrete) exhibited the highest cubic compressive strength, ultimate tensile strength, and flexural strength. These values were 25.22 MPa, 3.36 MPa, and 5.39 MPa, respectively. The standard deviations for cubic compressive strength, split tensile strength, flexural strength, water permeability coefficient, and porosity, as calculated using SPSS, were 1.57, 0.1, 1.17, 0.35, and 0.4, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) were used to analyze the microstructure and compositional combinations of the pervious concrete. The analyses revealed that the calcium-silicate-hydrate (C-S-H) gel, produced by GBFS hydration, enhanced the bonding within the interfacial transition zone (ITZ) and between the fibers and aggregates. Additionally, the anchoring and supporting effects of the PPTF in the matrix contributed to stabilizing the overall matrix structure. Lastly, a gray correlation analysis was applied to optimize the admixture. The findings indicate that following the optimization, the cubic compressive strength increased by 7.2%, splitting tensile strength by 2.1%, and flexural strength by 2.5%. In summary, the mechanical properties of pervious concrete improved after optimizing the admixture.

In this study, graphene oxide (GO) was prepared by an improved Hummers’ method, and the graphene oxide–carbon fiber (GO-CF) hybrid fibers were prepared by electrophoretic deposition (EPD) with the above GO. The microstructure and mechanical properties of GO, CF and GO-CF cement matrix composites were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), SEM and mechanical tests. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and SEM results showed that the surface modification of CF with GO could effectively improve the dispersion of CF in the cement matrix, the template action of GO providing nucleation sites for cement hydration, which significantly enhanced the interface bond between CF and the cement matrix. The mechanical properties test results showed that the early compressive strength and flexural strength of cement matrix composites were significantly improved by GO. Adding CF into the cement matrix significantly improved the flexural strength, although the compressive strength was not improved, even exhibiting a downward trend when the CF content exceeded 0.5%. The flexural and compressive strength of GO-CF cement matrix composites were clearly improved, its 7 d flexural strength and compressive strength increased by 30.89% and 17.56%, respectively, and its 28 d flexural strength and compressive strength increased by 38.37% and 14.32%, respectively. The research results indicate that a new method was provided which used GO as a dispersant and surface modifier to improve the dispersion of chopped CF in a cement matrix, and the interaction between CF and the cement matrix interface could also be applied to the functional aspects of cement matrix composites.

To precisely evaluate the retrofitting effectiveness of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) sheets on the impact response of reinforced concrete (RC) T-beams, a non-linear finite element model was developed to simulate the structural response of T-beams with CFRP under impact loads. The numerical model was firstly verified by comparing the numerical simulation results with the experimental data, i.e., impact force, reaction force, and mid-span displacement. The strengthening effect of CFRP was analyzed from the section damage evaluation. Then the impact force, mid-span displacement, and failure mode of CFRP-strengthened RC T-beams were studied in comparison with those of un-strengthened T-beams. In addition, the influence of the impact resistance of T-beams strengthened with FRP was investigated in terms of CFRP strengthening mode, CFRP strengthening sizes, CFRP layers and FRP material types. The numerical simulation results indicate that the overall stiffness of the T-beams was improved significantly due to external CFRP strips. Compared with the un-strengthened beam, the maximum mid-span displacement of the CFRP-strengthened beam was reduced by 7.9%. Additionally, the sectional damage factors of the whole span of the CFRP-strengthened beam were reduced to less than 0.3, indicating that the impact resistance of the T-beams was effectively enhanced.