Evaluation of Impact Resistance of Self-Compacting Concrete Incorporating Rice Husk Ash and Recycled Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Fibre

Abstract

Abstract

Concrete’s brittle nature makes it highly vulnerable to severe damage or sudden collapse under impact loading scenarios. The integration of fibrous materials has proven to improve concrete’s ductility, impact resistance and its overall performance. This study evaluate the impact resistance of self-compacting concrete (SCC) blended with eco-friendly materials from agricultural wastes; specifically rice husk ash (RHA) as partial cement replacement material and recycled polyvinyl chloride (PVC) water package as environmentally friendly sustainable polyethene fibre reinforcement (PFR). To achieve the desired objectives of this study, RHA was incorporated in SCC at six levels between 0 to 25%, while PFR was added at four levels between 0 to 1.5% by weight of cement. The absorbed impact energy (AIE) of polyethene fibre reinforced self-compacting concrete (PFRSCC) was assessed using drop weight test method on 384 cylindrical specimens (152mm diameter × 63.5mm high) following ACI 544.2R guidelines. The results revealed that PFRSCC significantly exhibited highest absorbed ultimate impact energy (AUIE) of 1307J, 2062.2J, 2410.7J and 2643.1J under respective curing periods of 7, 28, 56 and 90 days. The findings of this study conclude that PFR and RHA integration significantly enhance structural integrity of concrete under impact loading conditions. The study recommend optimal blend of 20% RHA and 1.5% PFR for maximum impact energy absorption under prolonged period, making PFRSCC a viable option for resilient structural concrete applications.