Pengaruh Penambahan Fiber Polypropylene terhadap Kuat Tarik Belah Beton Normal

Abstract

Concrete is one of the most widely used construction materials due to its high compressive strength, durability, and cost-effectiveness. However, its relatively low tensile strength makes it susceptible to cracking under tensile stress. One effective approach to improve its tensile performance is the incorporation of polypropylene fibers into the concrete matrix. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of polypropylene fiberaddition on the splitting tensile strength of normal concrete. An experimental method was employed using polypropylene fiber contents of 0%, 0.25%, 0.30%, and 0.40% by weight of cement. Cylindrical specimens with dimensions of 150 mm × 300 mm were prepared and tested at curing ages of 7, 14, and 28 days. The experimental results demonstrated that the splitting tensile strength increased with both curing age and polypropylene fiber content. The highest splitting tensile strength was achieved at a fibercontent of 0.40%, reaching 4.74 MPa at 28 days, representing an increase of approximately 11.8% compared with normal concrete. The improvement is attributed to the ability of polypropylene fibers to bridge microcracks, delay crack propagation, and enhancestress distribution within the concrete matrix. These findings indicate that polypropylene fiber is an effective reinforcing material for improving the tensile performance of normal concrete and has considerable potential for practical structural applications.