Enhancement of Fracture Toughness and Crack Resistance of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete Using CNT-Modified Fibers

Authors

  • Agraj Gupta Department of Civil Engineering, Swami Vivekanand Subharti University, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, INDIA
  • Abhinav Singh Department of Civil Engineering, Swami Vivekanand Subharti University, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, INDIA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55544/jrasb.5.3.5

Keywords:

Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC), Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs), Fracture Toughness, Crack Resistance, Nano-Modified Fibers, Interfacial Transition Zone (ITZ)

Abstract

There is no question that Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) is the material of choice when it comes to compressive strength and durability. Yet for structural use, its brittleness and poor resistance to cracking under tension are still significant hurdles. To address this, we have looked at how carbon nanotube (CNT)-modified fibers can be used to bolster the fracture toughness and crack resistance of UHPC.
In the course of this work, we put together optimized UHPC mixtures with a low water-to-binder ratio and supplementary cementitious materials, then added in steel, PVA, basalt and carbon fibers that had been given a CNT surface coating. We ran a full suite of tests on the mechanical and fracture properties, from compressive and split tensile to flexural strength, as well as fiber pull-out, fracture energy (Gf) and crack tip opening displacement (CTOD). On the microstructural side, SEM, XRD and EDS were employed to get a better read on the fiber–matrix interaction and the interfacial transition zone (ITZ).
What we found was that the CNT-modified fibers made a marked difference to the UHPC composites, particularly in terms of energy absorption, pull-out behavior and overall toughness. The improved stress transfer and densification of the matrix led to better bonding at the interface, which in turn put off crack propagation and gave the material a more robust post-cracking performance. In short, our findings show that using CNT-modified fibers is an effective way to reinforce UHPC systems on a multiscale level for greater durability and performance.

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References

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Published

2026-06-25

How to Cite

Gupta, A., & Singh, A. (2026). Enhancement of Fracture Toughness and Crack Resistance of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete Using CNT-Modified Fibers. Journal for Research in Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, 5(3), 44–52. https://doi.org/10.55544/jrasb.5.3.5

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 3 (2026): June Issue

Section

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Copyright (c) 2026 Agraj Gupta, Abhinav Singh

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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