The impact of ternary hybrid fibers on the mechanical characteristics of cement-based composites with waste andesite dust substitution

With the growing utilization of andesite stone in diverse construction uses, the effective handling and disposal of dust generated during its processing in manufacturing facilities have become more important to mitigate environmental effects. The primary objective of this research is to effectively employ waste andesite dust (WAD) in the creation of an environmentally friendly material. The study investigates how integrating a ternary hybrid fiber composition, combined with replacing a portion of cement with WAD, affects the mechanical properties of cement-based composite materials. To accomplish this goal, WAD was utilized in combination with ternary hybrid fibers within cement-based blends, substituting 0-30% of the weight of cement at four varying levels. In total, 12 different blend configurations were formulated by incorporating ternary hybrid fibers at 0.5%, 1%, and 2% proportions for each WAD substitution rate. The experimental results indicated that reducing the WAD substitution rate positively impacted strength measurements, while an increase in the substitution rate led to higher elongation and deflection capabilities. With the increase in hybrid fiber content, there was an increasing trend in flexural and tensile strengths, and for samples without WAD substitution, the strength values of the samples in which the fiber amount was used the least (0.5% by weight) compared to the samples in which it was used the most (2% by weight) increased by 57% and 7%, respectively. Based on the findings from the experimental investigations, the sample with 30% WAD substitution and 2% hybrid fiber content exhibited an increase of 32.30% in midpoint deflection capacity and 46.71% in tensile strain values compared to the reference sample. When analyzing the collective results of the study, it becomes evident that by incorporating WAD and a ternary hybrid design at optimal ratios, the mechanical properties can be enhanced, contributing to the mitigation of WAD disposal issues.