Optimization of the Fine to Coarse Aggregate Ratio for the Workability and Mechanical Properties of High Strength Steel Fiber Reinforced Concretes

High-strength concrete is used to provide quality control for concrete structures, yet it has the drawback of brittleness. The inclusion of fibers improves the ductility of concrete but negatively affects the fresh properties of fiber-reinforced concrete. The effects of different fine to coarse aggregate ratios on the fresh and hardened properties of steel fiber reinforced concrete were investigated in this study. Mixtures were prepared with various fine to coarse aggregate (FA/CA) ratios incorporating 1% steel fiber content (by volume) at constant water to cement ratio. The workability, unit weight, and temperature of the concrete in the fresh state, and the mechanical properties of steel-fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC) were investigated. The inclusion of fiber in concrete influenced the mobility of concrete in the fresh state by acting as a barrier to the movement of coarse aggregate. It was observed that the concrete with an FA/CA ratio above 0.8 showed better flowability in the fresh state, whilst an above 0.9 FA/CA ratio requires excessive superplasticizer to maintain the flowability of the mixtures. The compressive and flexural strength of SFRC increased with an increase in the FA/CA ratio by around 10% and 28%, respectively. Experimental values of compressive strength and flexural strength showed good agreement, however, modulus of elasticity demonstrated slightly higher values. The experimentally obtained measurements of the mechanical properties of SFRC conformed reasonably well with the available existing prediction equations, and further enabled establishing predictive isoresponse interactive equations within the scope of the investigation domain.