Study of the effect of mechanical properties of concrete mixtures containing steel fibers and tire fibers

Abstract

For several decades now, used tires have become a global and local environmental problem for waste management worldwide. The massive increase in the number of cars has caused various problems, the most important of which is environmental pollution resulting from the burning of hundreds of tons of used tire waste, which has generated many toxic gases This research aims to study the mechanical behavior of concrete containing steel fibers and fibers extracted from used tires, and their effect on the compressive and tensile strength and workability of the concrete, as well as to determine the optimal mixing ratios. In this laboratory study, tests were conducted on the concrete mix materials, and they met the required specifications. a concrete mix was designed, including the preparation of a fiber-free reference mix. Three concrete mixes containing mixed proportions of steel fibers and tire fibers were prepared in the followingrations (0.25% steel + 0.5% tires), (0.5% steel + 0.25% tires), and (0.25% steel + 0.25% tires) for curing periods of 28 days, 56 days, and 90 days, with three concrete cubes for each period The study concluded that incorporating steel fibers, along with fibers extracted from tires, improves the long-term mechanical properties of concrete.