Study And Analysis Of Variation In Behavior Of Mechanical Properties Of Carbon Powder Reinforced Concrete To Conventional Concrete

The purpose of any structural establishment is to provide shelter and stability to its inhabitants, along with safety and assurance of provision of fundamental amenities and functionalities. In this day and age, with multitudinous and revolutionary advancements being carried out in the field of construction and material technology globally, it is of utmost importance that our scientists, engineers and students factor in the environmental crisis at hand and derive technical solutions to combat degradation of our natural resources for the generations to come. Starting off with the basal ingredients involved in construction, we can devise ways in which we can achieve the most by utilizing the least. This study is aimed at determining the effects and variation in mechanical properties of concrete due to the addition of varying percentages of carbon powder (activated charcoal and graphite) derived from PAN polymer - Polyacrylonitrile Polymer, through extensive literature review and experimental tests in the laboratory. Carbon powder (Activated Charcoal and Graphite) is known to reduce propagation of crack width and introduce crack bridging in the structure. It is a worthy ingredient, which provides secondary reinforcement to steel-reinforced concrete specimens. In addition to the mechanical properties it imparts to the structure, carbon powder also leads to development of light-weight concrete, by compensating amount of aggregate and cement we use in the batching process.The study also aims to compare the results obtained from the testing of Carbon Reinforced Concrete specimens with those of Conventional Concrete. In accordance with the prevailing standardized IS codes, we procured and performed preliminary tests on the basic ingredients of concrete to determine the physical and mechanical properties. Upon extensively studying the mix design of concrete, appropriate mix design was prepared for 3 different samples, namely, conventional concrete cube, concrete with activated charcoal powder and concrete with graphite powder. On the basis of mix designs, the tests on concrete are performed as per relevant IS codes.Furthermore, the procedure for testing carbon-reinforced concrete in terms of characteristic compressive strength, crack control and crack bridging (as viewed through Scanning Electron Microscope) have been studied in detail. The results obtained from these different samples have been compared and analyzed together to draw significant conclusions, which helped us to stress upon the advantages of addition of varying percentages and types of carbon powder in concrete.