Dynamic compressive behavior of hybrid basalt-polypropylene fibers reinforced coral aggregate concrete

In this study, the effects of strain rate, fiber type, and hybrid fiber content on the dynamic mechanical properties of basalt-polypropylene fiber reinforced coral aggregate concrete (HBPRCAC) under impact loading are investigated using a split-Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) with a 75 mm diameter. The results demonstrated that the incorporation of basalt fiber (BF) and polypropylene fiber (PF), particularly when mixed, effectively reduced the failure of HBPRCAC. With an increase in strain rate, the failure of HBPRCAC exhibited a more severe pattern; even at low strain rates, cracks directly passed through the coral aggregate, causing damage. The failure modes of BF and PF were related to the strain rate. The probability of BF and PF being pulled out was higher at low strain rates than at high strain rates, where BF and PF predominantly exhibited snap failures. Additionally, the dynamic increase factor (DIF) of the dynamic compressive strength and dynamic modulus of elasticity for HBPRCAC demonstrated a decimal logarithmic linear increase with strain rate, while the dynamic critical strain and impact toughness of HBPRCAC exhibited a linear increase with strain rate. The mixed addition of BF and PF had varying effects on the strain rate sensitivity of HBPRCAC's dynamic mechanical properties, but the fiber mixing content was significantly positively correlated with the strain rate effects on the dynamic compressive mechanical properties of HBPRCAC. The dynamic compressive strengths of BPCAC-0.1 and BPCAC-0.2 at strain rates of 128–135 s −1 were increased by 78.66 % and 88.47 %, respectively, compared to those at strain rates of 33–36 s −1 . The dynamic moduli of elasticity for BPCAC-0.1 and BPCAC-0.2 showed increases of 16.47 % and 13.06 %, respectively, compared to that of coral aggregate concrete. Moreover, the critical strain and impact toughness of BPCAC-0.2 were the highest at all tested strain rates. • The effect of hybrid fiber content on the HBPRCAC's dynamic mechanical properties are analyzed. • The fibers increase the strain rate sensitivity of HBPRCAC. • The BF and PF's impact load strengthening and toughening mechanism is studied using SEM under impact load.