Structural behavior of reinforced lightweight self-compacting concrete beams using expanded polystyrene as coarse aggregate and containing polyethylene terephthalate fibers

Through this study, an attempt was made to produce concrete beams from self-compacting concrete (SCC) contain expanded polystyrene (EPS) beads as coarse aggregate and waste plastic fibers (WPFs) produced from cutting disposed packing straps in site. The beams were designed according to ACI-318-14, where three different reinforcement ratios were chosen for the purpose of checking the conductance of thresholds made of this type of environmentally friendly concrete under bending loads. The use of EPS with WPFs had a significant positive effect in reducing the density of concrete, and the highest percentage of reduction was equal to (38.46%). Using WPFs had a positive effect in increasing the flexural toughness of concrete prisms, and the maximum increment was equal to (180%) compared with these made from the reference mix. The results proved the possibility of producing lightweight concrete from the use of EPS waste and WPFs, three of which are structurally can be classified as lightweight concrete combination of normal weight and lightweight aggregates according to specifications requirements of ASTM330/330M-14. Reinforced lightweight SCC beams behaved under flexural loads similar to the reinforced concrete beams made from normal weight concrete counterparts under flexural loads.