Water impermeability of fly ash concrete composites containing silica fume and polypropylene fiber

A parametric experimental study has been conducted to investigate the combined effect of fly ash, silica fume and polypropylene fiber on the water impermeability of concrete composite. Four fly ash contents, four silica fume contents and five different fiber volume fractions were used. Fly ash and silica fume were mixed in concrete composites by replacing the same quantity of cement, and polypropylene fiber was mixed in concrete with the dosage of cementitious materials unchanged. Results reveal that the addition of fly ash, silica fume and polypropylene fiber can decrease the length of water permeability of the concrete composite evidently. The average length of water permeability is decreasing gradually with the increase of fly ash content, silica fume content, and fiber volume fraction, respectively. Silica fume and polypropylene fiber seem to play an important role to improve the water impermeability of concrete composites containing fly ash.