Abstract—This paper tested the mechanical properties of adding pitch-based carbon to the concrete mix, and investigated the thermal behavior and electrical conductivity. The experiment made use of recycled pitch-based carbon fibers with length ranging from 7 mm to 15 mm. The recycled carbon fibers were added to the concrete mix in proportions of 0.5%, 1%, 1.5% and 2% of the concrete weight. The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) procedure was used in the mix design and testing of the concrete specimens. The use of short carbon fibers in the concrete mix led to improvement in its tensile and compressive strengths. The thermal conductivity of the concrete composite decreases with increasing fibers. The use of fibers creates void in the concrete leading to a higher thermal resistivity of the concrete composite. The carbon fiber reinforced concrete creates a higher electrical conductivity.
Index Terms—Carbon fibers, recycled, mechanical properties, ASTM.
The author is with Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), Kuwait (e-mail: hmuhanna@kisr.edu.kw).
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Cite: H. Almuhanna, "Enhancingthe Mechanical Properties of Concrete Using Pitch-Based Carbon Fibers," International Journal of Engineering and Technology vol. 11, no. 3, pp. 162-168, 2019.
