• Computers and Concrete
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.195-212
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• 2024

The use of basalt fibers in various types of fiber-reinforced mortars has been increasing. One of the factors that expands the use of basalt fibers is that it is a natural fiber and therefore the production costs are lower than fibers such as PVA fiber. Basalt fibers have some drawbacks such as reducing the workability of mortars in which basalt fibers are added due to their structure, and negatively affecting the mechanical properties when used above a certain proportional amount depending on the type of mixture. For this purpose, in this study, as a different application, the surface of basalt fibers with different lengths (6 and 12 mm) was treated with Triton X-100 surfactant, and these disadvantages were tried to be reduced. In the study, a two-step method was followed. In the first one, the effectiveness of adding untreated and treated basalt fiber at 1, 1.25, 1.5, 1.75 and 2% by weight to the mortar mixtures was determined by conducting flow spread and flow rate as fresh mortar characteristics. In the second one, microstructural characterization and mechanical tests were performed as hardened mortar properties. The results showed that the flow characteristics of basalt fiber reinforced mortars treated with surfactant improved compared to untreated basalt fiber reinforced mortars. In terms of mechanical properties, the addition of 2% treated basalt fiber by weight to the mixtures allowed to obtain %18, %12, and%48 higher values of compressive, flexural, and tensile strength values, respectively, compared to the same amount of untreated basalt fiber mixtures.