Assessment of the Behaviour and Performance of Napier Grass Fibers in a Natural Fiber Reinforced Concrete

Showna Lee T. Sales; Virgilio Y. Abellana; Camila Flor Y. Lobarbio; Cyrile J. Milallos; Me-ar B. Del Negro; Lodel Jhun A. Deiparine

Autori

Showna Lee T. Sales [1]- Doctor of Engineering, School of Engineering University of San Carlos, Talamban, Cebu City 6000, Philippines [2]- Civil Engineering Department, College of Engineering Education, University of Mindanao, Davao City 8000, Philippines https://orcid.org/0009-0006-3449-2746
Virgilio Y. Abellana Doctor of Engineering, School of Engineering, University of San Carlos, Talamban, Cebu City 6000, Philippines
Camila Flor Y. Lobarbio Doctor of Engineering, School of Engineering, University of San Carlos, Talamban, Cebu City 6000, Philippines
Cyrile J. Milallos Civil Engineering Department, College of Engineering Education, University of Mindanao, Davao City 8000, Philippines
Me-ar B. Del Negro Civil Engineering Department, College of Engineering Education, University of Mindanao, Davao City 8000, Philippines
Lodel Jhun A. Deiparine Civil Engineering Department, College of Engineering Education, University of Mindanao, Davao City 8000, Philippines

Cuvinte cheie:

Aspect Ratio, Fiber Loading, Mechanical Properties, Natural Fiber Reinforced Concrete, Scanning Electron Microscopy

Rezumat

The prevalent issue with agricultural waste has led researchers worldwide to create new materials that will enhance the environmental quality of products. Utilizing composites shaped from raw and renewable natural fibers has become more common as the demand for new eco-friendly materials arises due to their low cost, superior mechanical qualities, and low energy consumption in their production. Napier grass fibers, as a sample of cellulosic fibers, had proven their performance compared to synthetic fibers. This paper aims to examine the results of mechanical properties such as compressive strength and flexural strength to determine the optimum fiber concentration and fiber length in Napier fiber-reinforced concrete (NFRC). Treatment of fibers is crucial because it increases the interfacial adhesion that strengthens the matrix's bonding. This study showed that adding Napier grass fibers enhanced the mechanical properties of concrete. However, a more significant aspect ratio may harm the NFRC's compressive and flexural strength.