Abrasion Resistance of Fiber-Reinforced Concrete under Cold Temperatures

This study aimed to investigate the effect of cold temperatures on the abrasion resistance and mechanical properties of fiber-reinforced concrete mixtures with different saturation conditions. The studied variables included types of steelfibers (SFs) (needle fibers, single hooked ends, and double hooked ends), volumes of SFs (0, 0.35, and 1%), lengths of SFs, coarse-to-fine aggregate ratios (C/F) (0.7 and 2), coarse aggregate sizes (10 and 20 mm [0.39 and 0.79 in.]), and cement content (300 and 550 kg/m(3) [18.73 and 34.34 lb/ft(3)]). The results indicated that decreasing the temperature below mom temperature generally enhanced the abrasion resistance of concrete. On the other hand, all saturated samples showed a better enhancement in the abrasion resistance and mechanical properties under cold temperatures compared to unsaturated samples. The behavior of saturated samples compared to unsaturated samples under cold temperatures was obviously affected by C/F and cement content. Among all mixtures reinforced with dfferent types, lengths, and volumes of SFs, using 1% 60 mm (2.36 in.) single hooked-end SFs showed the highest improvement in the mechanical properties and abrasion resistance under cold temperatures. Meanwhile, the lowest enhancement was recorded when 0.35% 35 mm (1.37 in.) SFs were used.