Amirkabir Journal of Civil Engineering

Amirkabir Journal of Civil Engineering

Optimization of fiber reinforced polymer concrete mix design based on DBA

Document Type : Research Article

Authors
Mohmmad Hossein Taghavi Parsa 1
Morteza Esmaeili 2
mohammadreza adlparvar 3
1 Ihu-Qom Uni
2 Professor(full) School of Railway Engineering Iran University of Science and Technology Narmak Tehran 16846 Iran
3 Associate professor civil engineering department technical& engineering faculty university of qom
10.22060/ceej.2026.23472.8375
Abstract
This paper investigates the behavior of fiber-reinforced concrete containing three polymer-based fibers, namely polypropylene, Barchip 48, and Forta-ferro, intending to optimize mix design using the DBA statistical approach. Two concrete mix designs were considered: a medium-strength mix and a high-strength mix. Fiber contents of 0.5% and 1% by concrete volume were used, and the specimens were tested at 7, 28, and 90 days. The study shows that the effect of fiber reinforcement depends strongly on fiber type, concrete strength class, and curing age. According to the results, Forta-ferro and Barchip generally improved compressive strength, while polypropylene reduced strength in some cases. The optimum combinations identified by DBA indicate that medium-strength concrete performs best with 0.5% polypropylene at 7 days, 0.5% Forta-ferro at 28 days, and 0.5% Barchip at 90 days; for high-strength concrete, 0.5% Forta-ferro was the best option at all ages. Overall, the findings confirm that polymer fiber selection plays a decisive role in the mechanical performance of concrete and that DBA can be used effectively for mix optimization.
Keywords
Fiber Concrete
Compressive Strength
Tensile Strength
Flexural Strength
Polymer Fibers
Subjects
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Amirkabir Journal of Civil Engineering
Volume 58, Issue 2
2026
Pages 267-296