Experimental study of the influence of the addition of polypropylene microfibers and cure on the surface hardness of concrete floors

Failures of dosing and execution of concrete floors, constantly lead to the emergence of pathological manifestations. Therefore, it is indispensable to know the factors that influence the behavior of the concrete or alter its characteristics, as well as the use of quality manpower. This study evaluated the influence of the addition of polypropylene microfibers in the contents of 0 g/m(3), 600 g/m(3) and 900 g/m(3) and of different curing conditions (without cure, wet cure and wet cure after three days of exposure) in concrete used in floors. For that, tests of bleeding, compressive strength and surface hardness by rebound hammer were per-formed. The results indicate that the use of microfibers significantly influenced the bleeding and the compressive strength, although the surface hardness was not affected directly by this material nor by the type of cure. In general, it can be said that of the polypropylene microfiber contents evaluated, the 600 g/m(3) content is the most suitable for addition in the concrete, presenting better performance in the analyzed properties. It is possible to affirm still that the cure, although not having caused significant influence on the surface of the concrete, is a factor of extreme importance for its mass properties.