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A review on natural fibres in the concrete

Article  in  International Journal of Advanced Technology and Engineering Exploration · April 2017

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International Journal of Advanced Engineering and Technology

International Journal of Advanced Engineering and Technology

www.newengineeringjournal.com
Volume 1; Issue 1; April 2017; Page No. 01-04

A review on natural fibres in the concrete

*1
Kavitha S, 2 Dr. T Felix Kala
1
Research scholar, Dr. M.G.R Educational and Research Institute University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
2
Professor & Hod. Dr. M.G.R Educational and Research Institute University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract
Considering global warming issues in the environment, recently there has been a rapid growth in research and innovation in the
natural fiber composite (NFC) area. Interest is warranted due to the advantages of these materials compared to others, such as
synthetic fiber composites, including low environmental impact and low cost and support their potential across a wide range of
applications. Much effort has gone into increasing their mechanical performance to extend the capabilities and applications of this
group of materials. This review aims to provide an overview of the factors that affect the mechanical performance and durability
performance of NFCs and details achievements made with them.

Keywords: composites, cement paste, mortar, fiber reinforced concrete; natural fibers

1. Introduction improving strength, stiffness and impact strength, including

Fibres are thread like materials which can be used for different the effect of moisture and weathering, long and short term
purposes. Fibres produced by plants (vegetable, leaves and performance. NFCs compared favorably with GFRPs in terms
wood), animals and geological processes are known as natural of stiffness and cost; values of tensile and impact strength are
fibres. Researchers have used plant fibres as an alternative approaching those for GFRFs. The lower densities for NFCs
source of steel and/or artificial fibres to be used in composites lead to better comparison for specific properties. Applications
(such as cement paste mortar and/or concrete) for increasing of NFCs have extended dramatically, including load bearing
its strength properties. These plant fibres, herein referred as and outdoor applications such as automotive exterior under
natural fibres, include coir, sisal, jute, Hibiscus cannabinus, floor panelling, sports equipment and marine structures.
eucalyptus grandis pulp, malva, ramie bast, pineapple leaf, Conducted several investigations on the strength and behavior
kenaf bast, sansevieria leaf, abaca leaf, vakka, date, bamboo, of concrete reinforced with natural fibers. Since natural fibers
palm, banana, hemp, flax, cotton and sugarcane. are available in abundant quantities in many developing
Natural fibres are cheap and locally available in many countries, more elaborate research should be directed toward
countries. So their use as a construction material for increasing the various problems associated with the use of these fibers.
properties of composites costs a very little (almost nothing This paper presents a critical review of the factors that affect
when compared to the total cost of the composites). Their use the properties and behavior of natural fiber reinforced concrete
can lead to have sustainable development. Another benefit (NFRC).Test results for concretes obtained by using water
may also include the easy usage/handling of fibres due to their blended with yeast granules are also reported in this paper.
flexibility, because the problem arises when a high percentage Most of the vegetable fibers, when dried, lose their mois-ture.
of fibres is to be used as in case of steel fibres. But for use of To achieve better results, the presence of certain amounts of
very high percentage of fibres, there is a need to invent a moisture is necessary, and this aspect needs further study. The
methodology for casting. Volume fraction and fibre content effect of creep and cyclic reversal of stresses on NFRC should
are two terminologies used for expressing the quantities of be investigated. Hence, proper treatment of the fibers before
fibres in a given composites reinforced composites can be mixing may be necessary. To increase durability, partial
used for many civil engineering applications including roofing replacement of ordinary Portland cement by rice husk ash or
tiles, corrugated slabs, simple slab panels, boards and mortar silica fume is recommended. Other types of admixtures, such
etc. as resins and gums, can be tested to prevent decay of natural
fibers that have been embedded in concrete.
2. Literature review Reported, results in the investigation indicate that, there is a
Has done the review on mechanical performance of different possibility to enhance the properties of jute fiber reinforced
natural fiber composites and detail achievements made with polyester composites. But very few investigations Carried on
them are stated that improvement has occurred due to jute/glass fiber reinforced epoxy composites and properties.
improved fiber selection, extraction, treatment and interfacial Literature showed that there was no much Information
engineering as well as composite processing. Also focused on available on modal test method to find the dynamic properties

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International Journal of Advanced Engineering and Technology

of the composites. Development of a suitable hybrid with a plasticizer is added, the compressive strength is decreasing
known stacking The sequence will have applications in the compared to plain concrete
automotive industry for weight and cost reduction; this leads Has done the review on different natural fibers evaluated in
the way for the investigation of mechanical and dynamic the last few decades, and thus, it can be used as a
properties of jute/glass fiber reinforced epoxy hybrid reference/guideline for the upcoming research of a particular
composites by using both static test methods and dynamic test fiber. The use of natural fibers, as reinforcement of composites
methods and validating the results through FE simulation. (such as cement paste, mortar and/or concrete), is economical
Irene S. Fahim, Salah M. Elhaggar, Hatem Elayat conducted for increasing their certain properties like tensile strength,
the research on potential usage of virgin Low density shear strength, toughness and/or combinations of these. Since,
polyethelyne (LDPE) reinforced with different concentrations variations exist in properties of natural fibers; therefore, such
(2%, 5% and 6% by weight) of treated rice straw with deviations should be properly addressed as we have
different lengths (2 mm, 4 mm and 6 mm) is investigated to categorized the gradation of aggregates.
produce high value products that have technical and Has conducted research to produce a sustainable “green”
environmental demand. The result of investigating these two concrete material using natural fibers such as industrial hemp,
mechanical properties, using statistical analysis & design of palm, and banana leaves fibers. Which would increase the
experiments, showed an enhancement in the mechanical service life and reduce the life cost of the structure, and would
properties of the virgin polymer composite compared to the have a positive effect on social life and social economy. Test
virgin polymer. The flexural stress of the composite increased results indicated that the use of natural fibers resulted in
three times the virgin flexural stress, while the tensile stress reducing the coarse aggregate quantity without affecting the
increased eight times the original tensile stress. The most flexural performance of concrete. Based on the preliminary
suitable chemical was the phosphoric acid with 1% chemical test results, the use of industrial or local hemp fibers in
concentration due to obtaining the highest values of tensile concrete mixes would result in promising compression and
and flexural stress compared to the other treatments. flexural strength values a behavior and reduction in the
Moreover, the waste generated from the chemical treatment of consumption of coarse aggregates, as compared to the control
rice straw using phosphoric acid can be utilized as a fertilizer samples in addition to the palm and banana samples. The
component for land reclamation. The fiber concentration of preliminary test results for palm and banana fibers were
rice straw used was 5% as it showed improvement in flexural acceptable but not as with the industrial hemp fibers;
and tensile stress. This percentage was recommended through moreover, the preparation process of the fibers is not simple
literature review. Increasing the fiber concentration to 6% in and needs to be updated to include mechanical processing for
the experimentation stage lowered the flexural stress 2 times large quantities production.
and the tensile stress 4 times. Presented the studies on durability of natural fibres such as
B H V Pal, Sujith Kumar C.P conducted an experimental coconut coir and sugarcane bagasse has been reported by
investigation on high performance steel fiber reinforced self- conducting an experimental investigation. This investigation
compacting concrete (SFRSCC) with silica fume as the filler includes two parts. The first part focuses on the determination
material. Fiber content was varied from 0 to 5% at intervals of of mechanical strength properties such as compressive, tensile,
1 % by weight of cements. Effect of the addition of these modulus of rupture and flexural properties of natural fibre
fibers on the various strength of concrete was studied. From reinforced concrete specimens once every 3 months for a
the experimental study it was found that the compressive period for 2 years under alternate wetting and drying
strength of concrete at 28 days shows a peak value of 80.44 conditions. Gain or loss in strength of composite concrete at 9
MPa at w/c ratio of 0.34, with 7.5% silica fume dosage, 0.6% intervals were computed and are reported here. The second
super plasticizer and 4% steel fibers, all by weight of cement. part covers the microstructural properties of fresh natural
Conducted experiments using different natural fibers to fibres in as received condition and natural fibres reacted with
concrete in order to study the strength properties and also to concrete under accelerated curing conditions for two years.
observe if there is reduction in propagation of shrinkage crack SEM and EDAC test results are discussed.
problems. Basically natural fibers are of two types. Natural Sravastano et al. (2009) [12] reported that the evidence of crack
inorganic fibers such as Basalt, Asbestos…etc and the other - bridging and fibre pullout was observed on the fractured
are the natural organic fibers such as coconut, palm, kenaf, surface of the R~ curve (Resistance to fracture curve)
jute, sisal, banana, pine, sugarcane, bamboo…etc.he specimen. It is also reported that the stable fatigue crack
concluded that Slump is decreasing with the addition of fibers. growth of the natural fibre cementious composite may be
More the fiber-cement ratio, more is the decrease in slump due attributed to degradation of bridging zones. Also reported that
to absorbency of water by fibers. The addition of fibers toughening in the natural fibre reinforced composites occurs
increased compressive strength with 0.5% fiber-cement ratio largely as a result of crack bridging. It is also reported that the
and little increase for 1% of fiber-cement ratio compared to intrinsic toughness of the natural fibre cement composites
plain concrete. But at 1.5% of fiber-cement ratio, though
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International Journal of Advanced Engineering and Technology

reinforced with sisal, banana and eucalyptus fibres was Savastano et al. (1999) [10] reported that the modulus of
between 1.2 and 1.4 MPa Vm. rupture (MOR) of coir fibre reinforced composite was 18%
Boghossion and Wegner (2008) [2] reported that the addition of more than that of referral at same w/c ratio. It is also reported
low volume fraction of short flax fibers to Portland cement that composite made with Eucalyptus pulp has 16.5% higher
mortar is effective in reducing the cracks resulting from the MOR as compared to referral.
restrained plastic shrinkage under condition that produce high Soroushian and Ravanbakhsh (1998) [16] have also reported
evaporation rates. It is also reported that the improvement that cellulose fibres (0.06% volume fraction) reduced plastic
increased with increasing volume fraction but the variation in shrinkage crack area by 78% relative to plain concrete.
fibre lengths (10 mm and 38 mm) did not significantly
influence the cracking behavior. 3. Conclusions
Ismail (2007) [4] reported that compressive strength and bulk From the above study it may be concluded that the use of
density are slightly increased at low fibre content (0.3 to 1.5% fibers in the concrete which is generated from agricultural
by volume). However beyond a fiber content of 1.5%, a activities in rural and urban areas construction material.it
reduction in compressive strength of about 8.2% for every modifies beneficially the cracking behavior of concrete and
0.5% fiber volume increase was observed. cement matrices. This results in stronger, safe and economical
Reis (2003) [9]; Ferreira (2004) [8] reported that coconut fiber structures in rural areas where these are freely and easily
reinforcement improved the flexural properties of epoxy available. The workability is adversely affected by fibre
polymer concrete and this improvement is more than the glass addition. The fibre addition improves significantly the crack
and carbon fiber reinforced concrete. The Coconut fiber resistance. Also, the crack width is reduced. The fracture
increased the flexural strength by about 25% as compared to toughness of natural fibre composites is greatly improved. The
referral unreinforced concrete. It is also reported that compressive strength of natural fibre composites is not
sugarcane bagasse improved slightly (3.5%) the flexural affected much upto certain fibre content. In general, the tensile
strength. strength of natural fibre composites is improved significantly.
Kriker et al. (2005) [6] have reported that in water curing, the The fibre inclusion, in general, significantly improves the
vegetable fibre reinforced concrete is marginally better in flexural strength and ductility of matrices. The bond of natural
respect of compressive strength. fibres in composites is satisfactory. The fibre inclusion greatly
Reported that the maximum crack width and length are not enhances the impact strength of composites.
sensitive to the type and contact of the fibres. However, the
ultimate crack resistance is affected significantly by use of 4. Acknowledgments
coir fibres. The ultimate crack resistance was found to The Authors are thankful to professor and head, dean,
increase with the fibre content. It is also reported that the president, Dept. of civil engineering, Dr. M.G.R Educational
average increase in the crack resistance ratio (Crs), and research institute university, Chennai.
considering the lower and upper bounds of fiber contact used,
is highest for coir fibre reinforced slab. 5. References
Savastano et al. (2005) [11] reported that the matrix cracking 1. Agopyan V, Jhon VM. Durability evaluation of vegetable
occurred close to the fibers as a result of internal tensile fibre reinforced materials, Build. Res. Inf. 1992;
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Siddiqui (2004) [15] included san fibers (0.30 - 0.90%) in fly 2. Boghossian, Emma, Leon D Wegnar. Use of flax fibres to
ash concrete (fly ash content 30 - 50%) and reported that the reduce plastic shrinkage cracking in concrete. Cem. Concr
fracture toughness of concrete matrix increased with fiber compos. 2008; 30(10):929-937.
content. The maximum increase in fracture toughness was 3. Filho RD, Toledo, Sanjuan MA. Effect of low modulus
found at fiber content of 0.9%. The increase was about 7.2, 4.9 sisal and polypropylene fibre on the free and restrained
and 3.7 times for concrete matrix with fly ash content 30, 40 shrinkage of mortars at early age, Cem. Concr. Res. 1999;
and 50% respectively at 28 days. At 91 days, the respective 29(10):1597-1604.
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of san fiber increased the flexural strength of fly ash concrete. fibre-reinforced cement base composites, Al-Rafidian
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0.75% fiber content the increase is about 10%. The addition of 5. Jhon VM, Agopyan V, Parado TP. Durability of cement
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