Mechanical Behaviour of Concrete Reinforced with Plasticized PVC and Galvanized Steel Fibers

In order to improve its mechanical performance, the incorporation of fibers into concrete is one of the most widely used methods in the construction industry. Depending on the type and proportion of fibers added, the performance of the resulting concrete varies. This article presents an experimental study whose main objective is to propose types of polymer clay fibers based on plasticized PVC. The study compared the mechanical behavior under compression and bending of standard concrete with that of concrete reinforced with plasticized PVC and galvanized steel fibers. Using two mixtures containing 14% and 18% fibers, the compressive and flexural strengths were evaluated at 28 days. The results show that the addition of fibers, particularly plasticized PVC fibers, significantly improves the compressive strength, flexural strength, and ductility of the material. In terms of compressive strength, concrete reinforced with plasticized PVC fibers shows an average increase of 3.7% to 8.7%, depending on the dosage. In terms of flexural strength, the performance is even more remarkable: the time to failure increases by up to 115%, the maximum deflection by 114% to 135%, and the time to the first crack is delayed by more than 100%. These results confirm the positive mechanical contribution of adding plasticized PVC fibers, which represent an effective, economical, and innovative solution for improving the mechanical properties of concrete.