Design investigations of basalt-fibre-reinforced mortar

This study examined the role of short (9 mm) and long (50 mm) basalt fibres on the properties of conventional mortar using six design combinations. Conventional cement (S-type) and sand in the proportion 1:3 were used for the study. Three fibre-reinforced mortar mix trials with 0·5, 1·5 and 2·5 wt% chopped basalt fibres with respect to the dry mix proportion for short and long fibres were designed. The desired properties of the mortar such as compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, gross area of modulus of rupture, air content, sulfate and chloride resistance were examined using standard American Society for Testing Materials test procedures to arrive at the optimum mix design for a specific class of mortar. The optimum mix for improved mechanical and durability properties was found to be with the addition of 0·5% of long fibres.