CHAPTER 4

TESTING ON COMPRESSIVE AND SPLIT TENSILE STRENGTHS OF

CONCRETE WITH VARIOUS PERCENTAGES OF PET BOTTLE FIBRE
This chapter deals with testing on compressive and split tensile strengths of
concrete with various percentages of PET bottle fibre.

4.1. General
Concrete is a very strong, durable and versatile moldable construction
material. It is made up of three basic components: water, aggregates (fine, coarse) and
cement. The ultimate strength of concrete is influenced by the water cement ratio,
cement quality and type, the design constituents, and the mixing, placement and
curing methods employed. All things being equal, concrete with a lower water cement
ratio makes a stronger concrete than that with a higher ratio. Concrete specimens are a
cast and tested under the action of compressive loads to determine the strength of the
concrete.
In this study, PET bottle fibre are used replacement as fine aggregates. The
replacement percentages 0%, 0.5%, 1% and 1.5% of plastic fibre are selected to use
by weight of fine aggregates. The compressive strength and split tensile strength of
concrete are tested for studying the effects of plastic fibre as fine aggregate
replacement in concrete with different proportion of plastic fibre. The compressive
strength and split tensile strength of concrete is tested at 7 days, 14 days and 28 days
of curing period according to ASTM specifications. These tests are performed at
Irrigation Technology Center (ITC), Patheingyi.

4.2. Mix Design

In this study, the concrete mix proportion (cement: fine aggregate: coarse
aggregate) is used as 1:2:4 by weight using specific gravity of each material obtained
from previous specific gravity tests, with water cement ratio 0.6. Total number of 48
molds are casted. PET bottle fibres are used in concrete of 0%, 0.5%, 1% and 1.5% by
weight of fine aggregates. In this study, the maximum aggregate size is used 25 mm
 44

with the fineness modulus of sand is 2 and fineness modulus of coarse aggregates is
6.83. PET bottle fibre size is length 12.7 mm and breadth 2.8 mm.
 45

According to mix design method, the step-by-step calculation is described

follows and the composition for the mix design of concrete with various percentages
of PET bottle fibre.
Quantity of materials required for cylindrical molds
Specific gravity of cement = 3.12
Specific gravity of fine aggregates = 2.66
Specific gravity of coarse aggregates = 2.7
1kg = 2.205 lb
Unit weight of water = 62.4 lb/ft3
In this study, 6 numbers of (6 in ×12 in) cylinder molds are used for one mix.
However, to prevent concrete from sticking inside the mixing machine, the required
weights need to be calculated for preparing 7 numbers of cylinder molds.
Volume of 7 cylindrical mold = πr2h × 7
= (π × (0.25)2 × 1) × 7
= 1.3 ft3

Volume of cement =

Volume of fine aggregate =

Volume of coarse aggregates =

Volume of water =
Total volume = VC + VFA + VCA + VW

Required weight of cement = × Volume of 7 molds

Required weight of fine aggregates = × Volume of 7 molds

Required weight of coarse aggregates = × Volume of 7 molds

Required weight of water = × Volume of 7 molds

For 1:2:4 concrete,
 46

Volume of cement = 1 kg × = 0.0113 ft3

Volume of fine aggregates = 2 kg × = 0.0266 ft3

Volume of coarse aggregates = 4 kg × = 0.0524 ft3

For W/C = 0.6,

Volume of water = 0.6 × =0.0212 ft3

Total volume = 0.0113 + 0.0266 + 0.0524 + 0.0212
= 0.1115 ft3
For air,
Air content = 1.5% (Coarse aggregate = 25mm)

Volume of air = 0.1115 × = 0.0016 ft3

Total volume of materials = 0.0113 + 0.0266 + 0.0524 + 0.0212 +0.0016
= 0.1131 ft3

Required weight of cement = × 1.3 = 25.34 lb

= 11.49 kg

Required weight of fine aggregates = × 1.3 = 50.69 lb

= 23 kg

Required weight of coarse aggregates = × 1.3 = 101.38 lb

= 46 kg

Required weight of water = × 1.3 = 15.21 lb

= 6.89 kg
1. For pure cement
Amount of cement = 11.49 kg
Amount of fine aggregate = 23 kg
Amount of coarse aggregate = 46 kg
Amount of water = 6.89 kg
 47

2. Cement + 0.5% Plastic Fibre

Amount of cement = 11.49 kg

Amount of plastic fibre = 23 × = 0.115 kg

Amount of fine aggregate = 23 - 0.115 = 22.885 kg
Amount of coarse aggregate = 46 kg
Amount of water = 6.89 kg
3. Cement + 1% Plastic Fibre
Amount of cement = 11.49 kg

Amount of plastic fibre = 23 × = 0.23 kg

Amount of fine aggregate = 23 - 0.23 = 22.77 kg
Amount of coarse aggregate = 46 kg
Amount of water = 6.89 kg
4. Cement + 1.5% Plastic Fibre
Amount of cement = 11.49 kg

Amount of plastic fibre = 23 × = 0.345 kg

Amount of fine aggregate = 23 - 0.345 = 22.655 kg
Amount of coarse aggregate = 46 kg
Amount of water = 6.89 kg

Table 4.1. Table 4.9. Required Amounts of Materials for Mix Design of Concrete
Compressive Strength and Split Tensile Strength with Various Percentages
of Plastic Fibre

Percentage of PET
0% 0.5% 1% 1.5%
Bottle Fibre (%)

Cement (kg) 11.49 11.49 11.49 11.49

Fine aggregate (kg) 23 22.885 22.77 22.655

 48

Plastic fibre (kg) 0 0.115 0.23 0.345

Coarse aggregate
46 46 46 46
(kg)

Water (kg) 6.89 6.89 6.89 6.89

4.3. Slump Test (ASTM C-143)

Measuring the slump is to know the consistency of freshly mixed concrete.
Frustum of a cone is a noncorrosive sheet metal. Its top diameter is 100 mm (4 in) and
bottom diameter is 200 mm (8 in) and 300 mm (12 in) in height, with foot pieces and
handles. There should also be a metal base plate with clamps that engages the foot
pieces while the concrete is being poured into the slump cone and tamped with the
tamping rod. Steel tamping rod’s diameter is 16 mm and 600 mm long. Concrete paste
is filled the slump cone in three layers. Each layer is tamped 25 times with the
tamping rod.
Every layer should contain approximately an equal volume of concrete. If the
bottom layer is tamped, it should be stroked a little with slope to all around about half
of 25 times and the other times strike the middle of the paste. For other two layers, the
strokes of the tamping rod should not penetrate into the underlying concrete layer.
The top surface is smoothed by trowel. The cone is carefully removed with a slow
vertical motion without lateral motion. The whole time of the slump test should be
within 2.5minutes. The slump cone is put in an inverted position next to the concrete
and measure the distance to the top of the original center of the specimens. The slump
test is as shown in Figure 4.1. Concrete slumps are tested for water cement ratios of
0.6 as shown in Table 4.2.

Figure 4.1. Slump test

 49

Table 4.2. Slump Test Results with Different Percentages of PET Bottle Fibre

Replacement Percentage
0 0.5 1 1.5
(%)

Slump (in) 2.3 2.3 2 2

4.4. Testing the Compressive Strength of Concrete (ASTM C-39)

Satisfactory concrete construction and performance requires concrete with
specific properties. To assure that these properties are obtained, quality control and
acceptance testing are indispensable parts of the construction process. Test results
provide important feedback used to basic decisions regarding mix adjustments.
Strength tests are made to check on the quality of concrete. Compressive strength test
is one of the strength tests to check the quality of concrete.
Compressive strength is determined by using 6in x 12in cylinder molds. These
cube molds are needed to apply hydraulic oil before molding the concrete. Concrete
paste is filled with three layers in the mold. Each layer is tamped 25 times with
tamping rod. The surface should be smoothed to be convenient for testing. The
compressive strength of concrete is tested at 7 days, 14 days and 28 days respectively.
At each curing period, two samples for each percentage of plastic fibre are tested and
the average of those two samples is taken as the compressive strength result. In this
study, the mix proportion of concrete is 1:2:4 and has w/c ratio of 0.6. Moulding for
compressive strength, the concrete samples, testing on compressive strength and
weighing of concrete are shown in Figure 4.2 to 4.6.
Test results for compressive strength of concrete with plastic fibre as
replacement of fine aggregates 0%, 0.5%, 1% and 1.5% are described in Tables 4.3 to
4.6, summary of test results is shown in Table 4.7 and illustrated in Figure 4.7. The
unit weight results of the samples are listed in Table 4.8 to 4.11, summary of test
results is shown in Table 4.12 and illustrated in Figure 4.8.
 50

Figure 4.2. Molding for Compressive Strength of Concrete

Figure 4.3. Curing of the Concrete Specimens

Figure 4.4. Concrete Cylinder Samples

 51

Figure 4.5. Weighing Concrete on Weighing Scale

Figure 4.6. Testing the Compresive Strength of Concrete

Table 4.3. Test Results for Compressive Strength of Concrete with 0% PET Bottle
Fibre Replacement of Fine Aggregate

Compressive Strength (psi)

Specimen No.
7 days 14 days 28 days

1 2740 3167 3672

2 2756 3187 3712

 52

Average 2748 3177 3692

Table 4.4. Test Results for Compressive Strength of Concrete with 0.5% PET Bottle
Fibre Replacement of Fine Aggregate

Compressive Strength (psi)

Specimen No.
7 days 14 days 28 days

1 2732 3091 3692

2 2764 3291 3778

Average 2748 3191 3735

Table 4.5. Test Results for Compressive Strength of Concrete with 1.0% PET Bottle
Fibre Replacement of Fine Aggregate

Compressive Strength (psi)

Specimen No.
7 days 14 days 28 days

1 2789 3263 3950

2 2878 3263 3864

Average 2834 3263 3907

Table 4.6. Test Results for Compressive Strength of Concrete with 1.5% PET Bottle
Fibre Replacement of Fine Aggregate

Compressive Strength (psi)

Specimen No.
7 days 14 days 28 days

1 2576 2834 3091

2 2490 2662 3262

 53

Average 2533 2748 3177

Table 4.7. Summary Tests Results for Compressive Strength of Concrete with
Various Percentages of PET Bottle Fibre
Percentages of 7 Days Strength 14 Days Strength 28 Days Strength
PET Bottle Fibre (psi) (psi) (psi)

0.5 2748 3177 3692

0.5% 2748 3191 3735

1.0% 2834 3263 3907

1.5% 2533 2748 3177

4500
3907
4000 3692 3735
Compressive Strength (Psi)

3500 3177 3191 3263 3177

3000 2748 2748 2834 2748
2533
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
0.00% 0.50% 1.00% 1.00%
Percentages of PET Bottle Fibre

7 Days Strength 14 Days Strength 28 Days Strength

Figure 4.7. Test Result for Compressive Strength of Concrete with Various
Percentages of PET Bottle Fibre
The compressive strength results presented in Figure 4.7 shows that0.5% and
1% recycled plastic concrete mix provided the compressive strength, greater than the
control strength of pure concrete at each curing day achieving 3191 psi at 14 days and
3735 psi at 28 days. The concrete has best results with 1% recycled plastic
replacements, the strength of 2834 psi at 7 days, 3263 psi and 3907 psi at 28 days.
 54

Overall, the results show that recycled plastic with 0.5% and 1% coarse aggregate
replacement, improve the compressive strength of concrete and also reached the
specified compressive strength of 3907 psi. The results indicate that the incorporation
of 1.5% plastic fibre reduced the compressive strength of the concrete compared to
the conventional concrete.

Table 4.8. Test Results for Unit Weight of Concrete with 0% PET Bottle Fibre
Replacement of Fine Aggregate

Unit Weight (lb/ft3)

Specimen No.
7 days 14 days 28 days

1 149.56 147.21 148.39

Table 4.8. Test Results for Unit Weight of Concrete with 0% PET Bottle Fibre
Replacement of Fine Aggregate (Continued)

2 150.74 142.50 147.21

Average 150.15 144.86 147.8

Table 4.9. Test Results for Unit Weight of Concrete with 0.5% PET Bottle Fibre
Replacement of Fine Aggregate

Unit Weight (lb/ft3)

Specimen No.
7 days 14 days 28 days

1 141.32 148.39 146.03

2 148.39 149.56 144.85

Average 144.86 148.98 145.44

Table 4.10. Test Results for Unit Weight of Concrete with 1.0% PET Bottle Fibre
Replacement of Fine Aggregate
 55

Unit Weight (lb/ft3)

Specimen No.
7 days 14 days 28 days

1 146.03 148.39 146.03

2 144.85 146.03 148.39

Average 145.44 147.21 147.21

Table 4.11. Test Results for Unit Weight of Concrete with 1.5% PET Bottle Fibre
Replacement of Fine Aggregate
Unit Weight (lb/ft3)
Specimen No.
7 days 14 days 28 days

1 143.68 148.39 148.39

2 144.85 149.56 146.03

Average 144.27 148.98 147.21

Table 4.12. Summary Tests Results for Unit Weight of Concrete with
Various Percentages of PET Bottle Fibre
7 Days Unit 14 Days Unit 28 Days Unit
Percentages of
Weight Weight Weight
PET Bottle Fibre
(lb/ft3) (lb/ft3) (lb/ft3)

0% 150.15 144.86 147.8

0.5% 144.86 148.98 145.44

1% 145.44 147.21 147.21

1.5% 144.27 148.98 147.21

 56

151 150.15
150

Unit Weight (lb/ft3)

148.98 148.98
149
147.8
148 147.21
147.21 147.21
147
146 145.44 145.44
144.86 144.86
145 144.27
144
143
142
141
0.00% 0.50% 1.00% 1.50%

Percentages of PET Bottle Fibre

7 Days Unit Weight (lb/ft3) 14 Days Unit Weight (lb/ft3)
28 Days Unit Weight (lb/ft3)

Figure 4.8. Tests Results for Unit Weight of Concrete with Various Percentages of
PET Bottle Fibre
The unit weight of concrete containing plastic fibre was found to be nearly
identical to that of the control concrete. The incorporation of plastic fibre at the
investigated replacement levels had only a negligible effect on the unit weight of the
concrete. This indicates that the addition of plastic fibre did not significantly alter the
density of the concrete mixtures.

4.5. Testing the Split Tensile Strength of Concrete

The split tensile strength test is one of the most commonly used methods to
determine the tensile strength of concrete indirectly Since split tensile strength is an
important indicator of concrete’s tensile capacity, it needs to be evaluated. To do this,
a split tensile testing machine, similar to the compressive machine shown in Figure
4.5 is used. The load is applied along the vertical diameter of the cylinder. When the
concrete specimen reaches the specified curing age, it is placed horizontally in the
machine, and a diametral compressive load is applied until failure occurs. The
machine records the applied force, and by measuring the specimen’s dimensions
beforehand, the split tensile strength is calculated and expressed in pound per square
inch. Test results for split tensile strength of concrete with plastic fibre as replacement
of fine aggregates 0%, 0.5%, 1% and 1.5% are described in Tables 4.13 to 4.16,
summary of test results is shown in Table 4.17 and illustrated in Figure 4.10.
 57

Figure 4.9. Testing the Split Tensile Strength of Concrete

Table 4.13. Test Results for Split Tensile Strength of Concrete with 0% PET Bottle
Fibre Replacement of Fine Aggregate

Split Tensile Strength (psi)

Specimen No.
7 days 14 days 28 days

1 236 279 322

2 236 300 300

Average 236 290 311

Table 4.14. Test Results for Split Tensile Strength of Concrete with 0.5% PET Bottle
Fibre Replacement of Fine Aggregate

Split Tensile Strength (psi)

Specimen No.
7 days 14 days 28 days

1 258 300 322

 58

2 236 300 322

Average 247 300 322

Table 4.15. Test Results for Split Tensile Strength of Concrete with 1.0% PET Bottle
Fibre Replacement of Fine Aggregate

Split Tensile Strength (psi)

Specimen No.
7 days 14 days 28 days

1 279 300 343

2 258 322 365

Average 269 311 354

Table 4.16. Test Results for Split Tensile Strength of Concrete with 1.5% PET Bottle
Fibre Replacement of Fine Aggregate

Split Tensile Strength (psi)

Specimen No.
7 days 14 days 28 days

1 215 258 300

2 193 279 322

Average 204 269 311

Table 4.17. Summary Tests Results for Split Tensile Strength of Concrete with
Various Percentages of PET Bottle Fibre
Percentages of 7 Days Strength 14 Days Strength 28 Days Strength
PET Bottle Fibre (psi) (psi) (psi)

0% 236 290 311

0.5% 247 300 322

 59

1.0% 269 311 354

1.5% 204 269 311

Table 4.7 shows that the split tensile strength of concrete increased with the
addition of PET bottle fibre up to an optimum content of 1.0%, after which the
strength decreased. Compared with the control mix (0% PET fibre), the 0.5% PET
fibre mix showed an increase in split tensile strength from 236 psi to 247 psi at 7
days, 290 psi to 300 psi at 14 days, and 311 psi to 322 psi at 28 days. The 1.0% PET
fibre mix exhibited the highest improvement, increasing from 236 psi to 269 psi at 7
days, 290 psi to 311 psi at 14 days, and 311 psi to 354 psi at 28 days. These results
indicate that incorporating PET bottle fibre up to 1.0% significantly enhanced the
tensile resistance of concrete.
However, when the PET bottle fibre content was increased to 1.5%, the split
tensile strength decreased compared with the control mix. At 7 days, the strength
reduce

from 236 psi to 204 psi. At 14 days, the strength decreased from 290 psi to 269 psi
while at 28 days, the strength remained 311 psi, showing no improvement compared
with the control concrete. This reduction at higher fibre content may be attributed to
poor fibre dispersion, fibre balling, and reduced workability, which can create weak
zones within the concrete matrix. Therefore, 1.0% PET bottle fibre can be considered
the optimum percentage for achieving the highest split tensile strength in this study.
 60

400
354

Split Tensile Strength (Psi)

350 311 322 311 311
290 300
300 269 269
236 247
250
204
200
150
100
50
0
0.00% 0.50% 1.00% 1.50%
Percentages of PET Bottle Fibre

7 Days Strength 14 Days Strength 28 Days Strength

Figure 4.7. Test Result for Split Tensile Strength of Concrete with Various
Percentages of PET Bottle Fibre