The paper describes an experimental behaviour of the basalt fibre reinforced polymer composite by external strengthening to the concrete beams. The BFRP composite is wrapped at the bottom face of R.C beam as one layer, two layers, three layers and four layers. The different characteristics – are studied in – first crack load, ultimate load, tensile and compressive strain, cracks propagation, crack spacing and number of cracks etc. To – investigate, total of five beams size 100×160×1700 mm were cast. One beam is taken as control and others are strengthened with BFRP composite with layers. From this investigation, the first crack load is increased depending on the increment in layers from 6.79% to 47.98%. Similarly, the ultimate load carrying – capacity is increased from 5.66% to 20%. The crack’s spacing is also reduced with an increase in the number of layers.

The rocks quarried in the neighboring Rutki and Ligota Tułowicka deposits (vicinity of Niemodlin) represent a single petrographic variety of basalt, i.e. nephelinite. The presence of nepheline (the mineral belonging to the group of feldspathoids) that forms the light-colored component of the groundmass is the characteristic feature of these rocks. Nepheline is accompanied by fine crystals of pyroxene and, occasionally, magnetite. Distinctly larger pyroxene and olivine phenocrysts are dispersed within the groundmass. Neither minerals of the groundmass nor the phenocrysts of the pyroxenes reveal any signs of chemical weathering. However, such alterations are clearly visible in the phenocrysts of olivine. The basalt raw materials of both deposits are utilized mainly for the production of various assortments of crushed road aggregates and as components of concretes. These applications require the aggregates with the grain sizes >2 mm. There is also a possibility to utilize coarse-grained basalt aggregates for the manufacturing of rock wool. This is due to a favorable property of the rocks from Rutki and Ligota Tułowicka that is their relatively low content of magnetite resulting in the low capability of the molten basalt to crystallize. The chemical weathering of the olivine phenocrysts have proceeded toward the formation of clay minerals, among which those of the smectite group prevail. Their elevated quantities occur in the finest aggregate assortment, i.e. 0–0.85 mm. The fineness of this grain fraction and its elevated quantity of clay minerals are two favorable features to utilize this part of the basalt aggregate by the heavy clay industry as an additive improving the physico-mechanical parameters and providing the required red color of ceramic products..

This article is devoted to basalt reprocessing together with magnetite concentrate in order to obtain ferrous alloy and calcium carbide. The studies have been based on thermodynamic simulation and electric smelting in arc furnace. The thermodynamic simulation has been performed using HSC-5.1 software based on the principle of minimum Gibbs energy. The blend was smelted in arc furnaces. On the basis of the obtained results of combined processing of basalt, it has been established that under equilibrium conditions, the increase in carbon content from 36 to 42 wt % of basalt and concentrate mixture makes it possible to increase the aluminum extraction into the alloy up to 81.4%, calcium into calcium carbide – up to 51.4%, and silicon into the alloy – up to 78.5%. Increase in the amount of lime to 32% allows to increase the content of calcium carbide to 278 dm3/kg. Electric smelting of the blend under laboratory conditions in the presence of 17-32% of lime makes it possible to extract ferrous alloy containing 69.5-72.8% of silicon, 69.1-70.2% of aluminum, and to obtain ferrous alloy containing 49-53% of ΣSi and Al and calcium carbide in the amount of 233-278 dm3/kg. During large-scale laboratory smelting of blend comprised of basalt (38.5%), magnetite concentrate (13.4%), lime (15.4%), and coke fines (32.7%), the ferrous alloy has been produced containing 48-53% of ΣSi and Al, calcium carbide in amount of 240-260 dm3/kg. Extraction of Si and Al into the alloy was 70.4 and 68.6%, respectively; Ca into carbide – 60.3%; Zn and Pb into sublimates – 99.6 and 92.8%, respectively.

Asphalt mixtures are commonly used for the pavement construction for national roads with a high traffic load, as well as local roads with low traffic load. The constructions of local road pavement consisting of thinner, more flexible layers located on less stable subbase than the pavement of national roads, require reinforcement with asphalt layers characterized by increased fatigue life. Technologies that allow quick repairs and reinforcements, while improving the durability of the road pavement are being sought. Such technologies include the use of modifications of asphalt mixtures with special fibers. The paper presents the results of investigations of the properties of asphalt mixtures modified with innovative basalt-polymer fibers FRP. On the basis of the obtained test results according to the Marshall method, stiffness modulus and fatigue durability, the technical properties of asphalt mixtures with FRP fibers addition were improved. This technology significantly increases the fatigue life of asphalt concrete dedicated for repairs and reinforcements of road pavements.

Experimental tests were carried out to assess the failure model of steel and basalt fiber reinforced concrete two-span beams. Experimental research was focused on observing the changes in behavior of tested elements in dependence on the ratio of shear reinforcement and type of fiber. The beams had varied stirrup spacing. The steel fiber content was 78.5 kg/m³ (1.0% by vol.) and basalt fiber content was 5.0 kg/m³ (0.19% by vol.). Concrete beams without fibers were also examined. Two-span beams with a cross-section of 120×300 mm and a length of 4150 mm were loaded in a five-point bending test. Shear or flexural capacity of tested members was recorded. The effectiveness of both sorts of fibers as shear reinforcement was assessed and the differences were discussed. It was shown that fibers control the cracking process and the values of deflections and strains. Fibers clearly enhance the shear capacity of reinforced concrete beams.

In order to study the dynamic mechanical properties of cement soil, uniaxial impact compression tests with different strain rates of cement soil with no fiber and with 0.2% basalt fiber were carried out by using a 50 mm steel split Hopkinson pressure bar device. The test results show that the impact compressive strength, dynamic increase factor and peak strain increase with the increase of strain rate under the same basalt fiber content, showing obvious strain rate effect. The dynamic stress-strain curve of basalt fiber cement soil underwent elastic deformation stage, plastic deformation stage and failure stage.With the increase of strain rate, the degree of fracture of cement soil samples gradually increases, which shows that the number of fragments increases, the size decreases and tends to be uniform. After adding basalt fiber in cement soil, the crack can be delayed, the degree of fracture is smaller than that without fiber and the plasticity of the samples is enhanced. It shows that basalt fiber can improve the impact compressive strength of cement soil.

The old-new concrete interface is the weakest part in the composite structure, and there are a large number of microcracks on the interface. In order to study the mode II fracture performance of the bonding surface of old-new concrete, the effect of planting rebar and basalt fiber is investigated. Nine Z-shaped old-new concrete composite specimens with initial cracks are made. Nine shear fracture load-displacement curves are obtained, and the failure process and interface fracture are discussed. On this basis, the mode II fracture toughness and fracture energy are obtained. The regression equations for fracture toughness and fracture energy are deduced with analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results show that fracture toughness and fracture energy increase with the increase of planting rebar number and basalt fiber content. With the increase of the planting rebar number, mode II fracture toughness and fracture energy increase more significantly. Planting rebar is the major factor for mode II fracture performance.