Comparative Study of Strength Parameters for Concrete with Partial Replacement of Fine Aggregates by Basalt Fiber and Glass Fiber

Abstract

In recent years, high-performance materials have acquire significant attention in civil industrial science due to evolving requirements related to cost efficiency, safety, and environmental concerns. Among these, fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC) has came out as a highly promising material. Its advantages are mainly assigned to properties such as improved toughness (in terms of flexural & compressive strength), greater tensile strength, improved durability, and higher energy absorption capacity. This study investigates the effect of partial replacement of fine aggregate (sand) with basalt fiber and glass fiber on the mechanical properties of concrete. The experimental investigational program was conducted on M25 and M30 grade concrete with diversified replacement percentage of 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4%. Compressive strength tests were carry out on both M-25 & M-30 grade concrete specimens, while flexural strength tests were carried out on M-30 grade concrete. The results indicated that the insertion of basalt & glass fibers enhance the strength properties of concrete up to a certain limit. The maximum increase in compressive and flexural strength was noted at 3% fiber replacement. Beyond this level, particularly at 4%, a reduction in strength was noted, likely due to poor workability and improper bonding within the concrete matrix.

Introduction

This study focuses on the use of fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC), particularly glass fiber and basalt fiber, as advanced construction materials to improve the strength, durability, and performance of concrete.

Fiber-reinforced concrete has gained importance in civil engineering due to its high tensile strength, toughness, energy absorption capacity, and improved durability compared to conventional concrete. Among various fibers, glass fiber has been widely used, while basalt fiber is emerging as a stronger and more sustainable alternative. These fibers enhance structural performance while potentially reducing maintenance and improving service life.

The main objective of the study is to examine and compare the effects of basalt and glass fibers on concrete properties, including compressive strength, flexural strength, and overall mechanical behavior, using M25 and M30 grade concrete. The study also aims to determine the optimum fiber content for maximum strength improvement and compare performance with conventional concrete.

The experimental scope involves replacing fine aggregate (sand) with different percentages (1% to 4%) of glass and basalt fibers. Results show that strength improves with increasing fiber content up to 3% replacement, after which strength decreases due to issues such as reduced workability, fiber agglomeration, and poor bonding. Therefore, 3% fiber content is identified as the optimum level for maximum performance.

Previous studies confirm that fiber addition improves tensile and flexural strength significantly, while compressive strength shows moderate improvement. Basalt fiber, derived from natural volcanic rock, is highlighted as a durable, eco-friendly, and cost-effective reinforcement material with wide engineering applications.

The experimental results for glass fiber indicate that compressive strength increases from conventional concrete values and reaches a maximum at 3% replacement (M25: 31.00 MPa, M30: 40.90 MPa), after which it declines slightly.

Conclusion

From the experimental investigation ,it was observed that the partial replacement of the aggregate (sand) with glass fiber and basalt fiber significantly influenced the mechanical properties of concrete. The compressive strength of concrete increased with the increase in fiber content up to a certain percentage and the slightly decreased byond the optimum level. For M25 grade concrete with glass fiber replacement ,the compressive strength increased from 28.75 N/mm2 at 1% replacement to 29.90 N/mm2 at 2% ,reaching a maximum value of 31 N/mm2 at 3% replacement. However, further increase in fiber content to 4% resulted in a slight decrease in compressive strength to 29.35 N/mm2. Similarly , For M25 grade concrete with basalt fiber replacement ,the compressive strength increased from 29.40 N/mm2 at 1% replacement to 30.95 N/mm2 at 2% ,reaching a maximum value of 32.05 N/mm2 at 3% replacement. However, further increase in fiber content to 4% resulted in a slight decrease in compressive strength to 29.95 N/mm2 For M30 grade concrete with glass fiber replacement ,the compressive strength increased from 38.45 N/mm2 at 1% replacement to 39.20 N/mm2 at 2% ,reaching a maximum value of 40.90 N/mm2 at 3% replacement. However, further increase in fiber content to 4% resulted in a slight decrease in compressive strength to 37.30 N/mm2. Similarly , For M30 grade concrete with basalt fiber replacement ,the compressive strength increased from 38.85 N/mm2 at 1% replacement to 39.80 N/mm2 at 2% ,reaching a maximum value of 41.40 N/mm2 at 3% replacement. However, further increase in fiber content to 4% resulted in a slight decrease in compressive strength to 37.90 N/mm2 For M30 grade concrete with glass fiber replacement ,the flexural strength increased from 5.37 N/mm2 at 1% replacement to 5.50 N/mm2 at 2% ,reaching a maximum value of 5.56 N/mm2 at 3% replacement. However, further increase in fiber content to 4% resulted in a slight decrease in flexural strength to 5.16 N/mm2. Similarly , For M30 grade concrete with basalt fiber replacement ,the flexural strength increased from 5.27 N/mm2 at 1% replacement to 5.39 N/mm2 at 2% ,reaching a maximum value of 5.48 N/mm2 at 3% replacement. However, further increase in fiber content to 4% resulted in a slight decrease in compressive strength to 5.13 N/mm2 Despite the reduction in slump value, the workability of concrete remained within acceptable limits. The results indicate that up to 3% fiber replacement provides adequate workability along with improved strength properties. Therefore , 3% fiber content can be considered as the optimum dosage for balanced workability and strength performance of concrete. The addition of basalt fiber and glass fiber helps in improving the mechanical performance of concrete, particularly in terms of crack resistance and durability. According to the findings, fiber-reinforced concrete outperforms traditional concrete in terms of strength qualities. From the overall experimental results, the optimum fiber content was found to be approximately 3% replacement of the sand ,which provides maximum compressive and flexural strength with acceptable workability. When compared to regular concrete, the cost investigation indicates that adding glass and basalt fibers to concrete increases its overall cost. The price rise is due to the fact that fibers are more expensive than natural sand. Because basalt fibers are more expensive than glass fibers, basalt fiber concrete was shown to be more costly than glass fiber concrete. In structural applications, however, the increased cost can be justified by the enhanced mechanical qualities and crack resistance. From the experimental results, 3% fiber replacement was found to be the optimum percentage ,providing improved strength with reasonable cost increase

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Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Amit S. Sajane, Vaibhav U. Koli. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.