Mechanical properties of glass fiber reinforced ceramic concrete

• Glass fiber reinforced ceramic concretes were produced using phosphate-based cements and chopped glass fibers.
• Concretes included either sand or lightweight expanded clay aggregate and up to 2% fibers by volume.
• The influence of fiber dosage on rheological and mechanical properties were studied.
• Specimen failure modes were characterized by fiber fracture rather than fiber pullout.

This paper reports on tests conducted to establish the influence of chopped glass fibers on the mechanical and rheological properties of ceramic concrete produced using a phosphate cement binder. Two different ceramic concrete matrices were studied, containing either sand or lightweight expanded clay aggregates. Fiber volume fractions between 0% and 2% were examined. The addition of glass fibers into ceramic concrete had little influence on the compressive strength and modulus of elasticity but resulted in significant increases in flexural strength and direct shear strength, regardless of the matrix type or fiber length. The results also showed that the compression, the flexure and the shear toughness all increased with an increase in the fiber content, while the workability decreased with an increase in fiber content. Overall, the results indicate that glass fiber reinforced ceramic concretes can be produced with workability and mechanical properties that are suitable for application in building elements.