Effect of silica fume on steel fiber bond characteristics in reactive powder concrete

In this paper, the effect of silica fume on the bond characteristics of steel fiber in matrix of reactive powder concrete (RPC), including bond strength, pullout energy, etc., are presented. The experimental results on steel fiber pullout test of different conditions are reported. Various silica fume contents ranging from 0% to 40% are used in the mix proportions. Fiber pullout tests are conducted to measure the bond characteristics of steel fiber from RPC matrix. It is found that the incorporation of silica fume can effectively enhance the fiber-matrix interfacial properties, especially in fiber pullout energy. It is also concluded that in terms of the bond characteristics, the optimal silica fume content is between 20% and 30%, given the conditions of the experimental program. The microstructural observation confirms the findings on the interfacial-toughening mechanism drawn from the fiber pullout test results.