Enhancement the mechanical properties of ferrocement mortar by adding waste plastic fibers

This research presents an experimental investigation of enhancement of the mechanical properties of ferrocement mortar by adding waste plastics to ferrocement mortar that result from cutting polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles as fibers. One reference mix and three other mixes contained Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) fiber by a volumetric ratio of plastic fibers (0.5, 0.75, and 1 %) were prepared. For each mix, three cube samples were made to test the compressive strength, and three prisms were made to test the flexural strength (modules of rupture). Experiments indicate that the addition of plastic fibers to ferrocement mortar increases the compressive strength and modulus of rupture at 28 days by 17.63 per cent and 5.45 per cent, respectively, for a volumetric ratio of 0.75%, which represents the optimal ratio of fibers as compared to the reference mix. Adding waste plastic fibers to ferrocement mortar leads to reduction in the ultrasonic pulse velocity and the density, and increase water absorption of ferrocement mortar containing this kind of fibers compared with the reference mixture.