UTILIZATION OF WASTE BAKELITE AS A FIBER REINFORCE TO IMPROVE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF CONCRETE

Abstract

Waste Bakelite is mainly from automotive production, it can create waste management problems due to its toxic substances. The consensus of previous research works in waste Bakelite as aggregate in concrete mixture and mortar still has problems such as low strength and high toxics of concrete products. Selected shapes of waste Bakelite are similar to a fiber which could be used to reinforce concrete. In this research, waste Bakelite was selected into a suitable shape and was mixed with a proportion of 0%, 3%, 5%, and 7% by volume of concrete. The slump of fresh concrete, compressive strength, and flexural strength were tested. The results discovered that the addition of 3% to 7% waste Bakelite bar as a fiber had no negative significant impact on the workability of fresh concrete. In addition, the adding bar shape of waste Bakelite 5% by volume into concrete showed a positive effect on the mechanical tensile strength and flexural strength of concrete while the product shows almost non-toxics discharge from colorimetric observation.