Sustainable Building Materials in Kerala – An OverviewIDES Editor
Kerala, God’s own country is blessed with immense
natural resources. It’s high time that the state’s natural
resources being utilized effectively. While sustainable
development is the need of the hour, we have to take lead in
initiating activities that would minimize the exploitation of
our natural resources resulting in their effective utilization.
This paper narrates an overview of innovative building
materials especially using natural fibres available in Kerala
and discusses the feasibility of utilising such fibres in the
context of sustainable building materials in Kerala. The paper
also discusses how these materials can be effectively utilized
to reduce the huge investment in the construction industry.
A Study on Strength of Reinforced Flyash with Randomly Distributed FibersIJERD Editor
Flyash is a waste produced from thermal power stations, which contributes to environmental
pollution. It is a waste material that can be utilized in construction of roads and embankments. Randomly
distributed fiber reinforced soils have recently attracted increasing attention in geotechnical engineering. One of
the most promising approaches in this area is use of flyash as a replacement to the conventional weak earth
material and fiber/coir as reinforcement will solve two problems with one effort i.e. elimination of solid waste
problem on one hand and provision of a needed construction material on other. Disposal of a variety of wastes
in an eco friendly way is the thrust area of today’s research. This paper investigates to determine the optimum
percentage of waste plastics/coconut coir with flyash material by conducting direct shear and CBR tests. It was
observed that from the laboratory test results, the optimum percentage of waste plastics and coconut coir with
flyash material are 0.3% and 0.2% respectively and also flyash with waste plastics shows better performance as
compared to flyash with coconut coir.
Analysis of Upgradation of a Convectional Building into Green BuildingIJSRD
The phenomenon of global warming or climate change has led to many environmental issues including higher atmospheric temperatures, intensive precipitation, and increased Greenhouse gaseous emission and of course increased indoor discomfort condition. Researchers worldwide collectively agreed that one way of reducing the impact of global warming is by implementing Green Roof Technology which integrates vegetation, growing medium and water proofing membrane on top of the roof surface. This study emphasized to first analysis a convectional Building than upgrade it to a Green Building by the use of some Eco- Friendly materials. In addition to this by the use of some smart electrification work we can also conserve an ample amount of energy in a Convectional Building. Than by the use of different agencies which would provide checklist for Green Building we can rate a Convectional Building which is been upgraded into a Green Building..The objectives of this research were is Reduction in the indoor temperature of the room contributes reduction in energy consumption in the building. By the use of smart electrification an ample amount of energy can also be conserved. By the use of eco- friendly materials and waste products an ample amount of money can also be saved. Although by the up gradation of convectional building the initial cost will be high because of the use of some special material such as solar panel, rain water harvesting system but their application will return 10 times of what we invested
In recent years, a great deal of interest in concrete leads to the most frequently used sustainable construction material. Using of natural fiber as fiber reinforcement effectively improved strength, ductility and durability requirements of high performance cement composites. Regretly, natural fibers are dumped as agricultural waste (e.g. coconut, bamboo, wood or chips, bast fiber, leaf fiber, seed and fruit fibers, etc), so can be easily available low cost. The applications of natural fiber for sustainable construction material design can be done as filler or masonry composites, reinforcement, thermal conductivity, cementations/binder, etc. Previous and current researchers focusing the natural fiber to improve the properties of lightweight composites still required a lot of investigations to make it improved. However, the present work consists of the availability of natural fiber waste substance, sustainable construction materials are evaluated for their physico-mechanical properties of sustainable construction materials, method of production and environmental impact of several materials. No doubt, the application of natural fiber provides a solution to conservation of natural resource and energy.
Sustainable Building Materials in Kerala – An OverviewIDES Editor
Kerala, God’s own country is blessed with immense
natural resources. It’s high time that the state’s natural
resources being utilized effectively. While sustainable
development is the need of the hour, we have to take lead in
initiating activities that would minimize the exploitation of
our natural resources resulting in their effective utilization.
This paper narrates an overview of innovative building
materials especially using natural fibres available in Kerala
and discusses the feasibility of utilising such fibres in the
context of sustainable building materials in Kerala. The paper
also discusses how these materials can be effectively utilized
to reduce the huge investment in the construction industry.
A Study on Strength of Reinforced Flyash with Randomly Distributed FibersIJERD Editor
Flyash is a waste produced from thermal power stations, which contributes to environmental
pollution. It is a waste material that can be utilized in construction of roads and embankments. Randomly
distributed fiber reinforced soils have recently attracted increasing attention in geotechnical engineering. One of
the most promising approaches in this area is use of flyash as a replacement to the conventional weak earth
material and fiber/coir as reinforcement will solve two problems with one effort i.e. elimination of solid waste
problem on one hand and provision of a needed construction material on other. Disposal of a variety of wastes
in an eco friendly way is the thrust area of today’s research. This paper investigates to determine the optimum
percentage of waste plastics/coconut coir with flyash material by conducting direct shear and CBR tests. It was
observed that from the laboratory test results, the optimum percentage of waste plastics and coconut coir with
flyash material are 0.3% and 0.2% respectively and also flyash with waste plastics shows better performance as
compared to flyash with coconut coir.
Analysis of Upgradation of a Convectional Building into Green BuildingIJSRD
The phenomenon of global warming or climate change has led to many environmental issues including higher atmospheric temperatures, intensive precipitation, and increased Greenhouse gaseous emission and of course increased indoor discomfort condition. Researchers worldwide collectively agreed that one way of reducing the impact of global warming is by implementing Green Roof Technology which integrates vegetation, growing medium and water proofing membrane on top of the roof surface. This study emphasized to first analysis a convectional Building than upgrade it to a Green Building by the use of some Eco- Friendly materials. In addition to this by the use of some smart electrification work we can also conserve an ample amount of energy in a Convectional Building. Than by the use of different agencies which would provide checklist for Green Building we can rate a Convectional Building which is been upgraded into a Green Building..The objectives of this research were is Reduction in the indoor temperature of the room contributes reduction in energy consumption in the building. By the use of smart electrification an ample amount of energy can also be conserved. By the use of eco- friendly materials and waste products an ample amount of money can also be saved. Although by the up gradation of convectional building the initial cost will be high because of the use of some special material such as solar panel, rain water harvesting system but their application will return 10 times of what we invested
In recent years, a great deal of interest in concrete leads to the most frequently used sustainable construction material. Using of natural fiber as fiber reinforcement effectively improved strength, ductility and durability requirements of high performance cement composites. Regretly, natural fibers are dumped as agricultural waste (e.g. coconut, bamboo, wood or chips, bast fiber, leaf fiber, seed and fruit fibers, etc), so can be easily available low cost. The applications of natural fiber for sustainable construction material design can be done as filler or masonry composites, reinforcement, thermal conductivity, cementations/binder, etc. Previous and current researchers focusing the natural fiber to improve the properties of lightweight composites still required a lot of investigations to make it improved. However, the present work consists of the availability of natural fiber waste substance, sustainable construction materials are evaluated for their physico-mechanical properties of sustainable construction materials, method of production and environmental impact of several materials. No doubt, the application of natural fiber provides a solution to conservation of natural resource and energy.
To Study the Properties of Concrete with Partial Replacement of Aggregates by...ijtsrd
Solid waste management is among the key environmental issues in India. The current research applies to the usage of or even recycled plastics as an alternative for rough aggregates in concrete. The primary goal of the analysis is to investigate the modification in the physical attributes of concrete by the inclusion of plastics to concrete. In addition to the physical qualities, winter qualities of the ensuing concrete may also be analyzed. The utilization of plastic aggregates was discovered to lead to the development of sturdy concrete. Additionally, with the plastics, the tensile and compressive strength of the concrete reduces. The foremost change brought approximately by using plastics is the fact that concrete's thermal conductivity is decreased due to the utilization of plastics. It is able to thus be declared recycled plastics are usually utilized for thermal insulation of structures. Series of experiments had been performed in this current study for a comparison of the usage of Used Plastic as a replacement of sand in various different proportions. The main conclusions drawn was that the compressive strength increases with the inclusion of Used Plastic upto a certain proportions and then reduces the strength. Monu | Er Sumesh Jain "To Study the Properties of Concrete with Partial Replacement of Aggregates by Waste Plastic" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-4 | Issue-1 , December 2019, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd29874.pdf Paper URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/engineering/civil-engineering/29874/to-study-the-properties-of-concrete-with-partial-replacement-of-aggregates-by-waste-plastic/monu
A Research on Properties of Concrete with Partial Replacement of Aggregates b...ijtsrd
Solid waste management is among the key environmental issues in India. The current research applies to the usage of or even recycled plastics as an alternative for rough aggregates in concrete. The primary goal of the analysis is to investigate the modification in the physical attributes of concrete by the inclusion of plastics to concrete. In addition to the physical qualities, winter qualities of the ensuing concrete may also be analyzed. The utilization of plastic aggregates was discovered to lead to the development of sturdy concrete. Additionally, with the plastics, the tensile and compressive strength of the concrete reduces. The foremost change brought approximately by using plastics is the fact that concrete's thermal conductivity is decreased due to the utilization of plastics. It is able to thus be declared recycled plastics are usually utilized for thermal insulation of structures. Series of experiments had been performed in this current study for a comparison of the usage of Used Plastic as a replacement of sand in various different proportions. The main conclusions drawn was that the compressive strength increases with the inclusion of Used Plastic upto a certain proportions and then reduces the strength. Monu | Er Sumesh Jain "A Research on Properties of Concrete with Partial Replacement of Aggregates by Waste Plastic" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-4 | Issue-1 , December 2019, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd29875.pdf Paper URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/engineering/civil-engineering/29875/a-research-on-properties-of-concrete-with-partial-replacement-of-aggregates-by-waste-plastic/monu
International Refereed Journal of Engineering and Science (IRJES)irjes
The core of the vision IRJES is to disseminate new knowledge and technology for the benefit of all, ranging from academic research and professional communities to industry professionals in a range of topics in computer science and engineering. It also provides a place for high-caliber researchers, practitioners and PhD students to present ongoing research and development in these areas.
First CELLUWOOD Newsletter (January 2014)
CELLUWOOD is a four years EU project, funded under the Eco Innovation research initiative. The project aims to develop a new range of structural elements made of wood by introducing innovative production elements and includes the use of cellulose instead of petroleum-based glue in the lamination of the timber products. The ‘physical’ results will be the strong eco-beams and columns and their most sustainable manufacturing technologies, in addition to significant environmental and cost benefits of the innovation. These are achieved by the introduction of the (new) technologies from other sectors (e.g. cellulose velvet, biocomposite reinforcement and bio-resin) for innovative uses in the defect removal and repairing, facilitating innovation in the use of nano/micro cellulose and bio-resin technologies in timber reengineering, and the development, testing and demonstration of the novel initiative products.
Coordinator and responsible of the project at AIDIMA: Miguel Ángel Abián
This project is co-funded by IVACE (Instituto Valenciano de Competitividad Empresarial) and by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Conservation of Concrete Structure in BuildingsMalkit Singh
Presentation on Conservation of Concrete Structure in Buildings by Prof. Jagjit Singh Ghuman, Life Member INTACH, Formerly Chief Town Planner and Head T&CP Deptt., Govt. of Pb. in Guest Lecture Cum Workshop On "Cultural Heritage Conservation: Towards New Paradigm" organised by Chandigarh College of Architecture on 3rd May, 2013
Development of Wood-Plastic Composite at Dedan Kimathi University of Technolo...IJERA Editor
Disposal of plastics and other solid wastes has been a major problem in Kenya. Most of these wastes can be
recycled through various ways and methods to produce new products. Plastics can be combined with sawdust to
develop composite materials for applications such as in building. In this project, a wood-plastic composite
(WPC) was developed from sawdust and plastic solid wastes.
The composite bore the advantages of both wood and plastics which can be applied in various sectors including
interior design work and in automotive among others, thereby curbing the problem of garbage accumulation in
the environment. The project provides eco-friendly solutions by making best use of the available resources
(wood and plastic resins) thus, finding sustainable solutions to the problem of limited waste dumping sites and
deforestation in the country. The composites were made from PP and HDPE thermoplastics and mahogany
sawdust obtained from our wood workshop in Dedan Kimathi University. From the tests carried out and results
obtained, it was found that, the composite has more advantages than the individual constituent materials.
Water absorption test revealed that all the samples took up water though not as much pronounced as for plain
sawdust. Additionally, the rate of water reduction was found to be excellent. They took less time to release the
absorbed water to the environment meaning that they can be applied in humid or wet environ. The composite
samples were easy to machine since they were easily shaped using a handsaw.
Study of Flexural Strength and Flexural Modulus of Reinforced Concrete Beams ...Premier Publishers
This study was carried out to investigate the effects of raffia palm fibre on some mechanical behaviour (flexural strength, flexural modulus, water absorption rate and density) of concrete. A concrete mix ratio of 1:2:4 was used for the concrete beams production, while a water to cement ratio (w/c) of 0.5 was adopted. In the study, three different fibre lengths (10, 20 and 30 mm) and three different fibre content (volume) by mass of fine aggregate (1, 2 and 3%) were considered. According to the results of the preliminary test carried out on the fine aggregate, it had a silt content of 1.6%, a moisture content of 8.3%, and a specific gravity of 2.95. Flexural properties of the beams were tested in accordance with ASTM recommended procedures after 28 curing days. Results obtained showed that fibre volume had significant (p ≤0.05) effect on the flexural strength and flexural modulus of the beams. The flexural strength and flexural modulus decreased linearly as the fibre volume increased from 0% to 3%. According to the results, the fibre reinforced beams were more ductile, when compared to the unreinforced concrete beams. In addition, the densities of the beams decreased with increase in the fibre volume; while their water absorption rate increased with increase in the fibre volume. The low densities and brittleness of the reinforced beams (at low volume) made them good building materials, especially when heavy weight beams are a problem, provided the beams are not exposed to high moisture levels.
Relationship of economic and environmental factors with the acceptance of ear...Shadi Zare Shahabadi
Since time immemorial, earthen architecture has been prevalent in Yazd; however, in spite of its merits and benefits, tendency for it has decreased over recent decades. The main objective of this research is to clarify the relationship of economic and environmental factors with the acceptance of newly built earthen houses. The research is a cross-sectional study conducted through a survey method. The sample population consisted of 145 young educated couples in Yazd selected based on the Cochran formula and through a multi-stage cluster sampling procedure. The results showed that the acceptance of newly built earthen houses among the respondents was higher than average. The perceived usefulness of this architecture in terms of both economic and environmental factors had a positive and significant correlation with the acceptance of that, while none of the demographic variables associated with acceptance. Using the regression model, environmental and then economic factors were found to account for 39 percent of the variance for the acceptance of the earthen architecture. According to these results, it seems that taking environmental and economic factors into consideration can affect people's interest and their acceptance of newly built earthen houses. In this regard, certain architectural solutions are presented in the paper. This research findings provide motivation for further and broader studies in this field.
Study of natural fibers from waste from sponge gourd, peach palm tree and pap...Agriculture Journal IJOEAR
— Lignocellulosic wastes from agro-industry are usually discarded, despite their technical potential for use to reinforce composites. Because of increasing environmental concerns, scientific interest is growing to characterize fiber residues from peach palm tree trunks, papaya tree trunks and sponge gourds. The peach palm residues were obtained from the portion of the trunk not suitable for hearts of palm, while the papaya trunk residues were obtained from trees cut down after three years of fruit production and the sponge gourd waste material came from leftover gourds not suitable for making bath sponges. The materials were characterized regarding moisture content, density, ash content, lignin and holocellulose content, and soluble content, and were submitted to thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction, mechanic property and morphological analysis by scanning electron microscopy. The moisture, extractives and ash contents of the papaya pseudsterm and peach palm wastes were very near each other. The sponge gourd fibers had the highest concentrations of α-cellulose and hemicellulose and lowest levels of extractable soluble, and ash. The characterization results show that these waste materials are comparable with other agro-industrial residues described in the literature for use in making composites, so they have good potential for use as polymer reinforcement. Keywords— lignocellulosic fibers, peach palm tree, papaya pseudstem, sponge gourd.
To Study the Properties of Concrete with Partial Replacement of Aggregates by...ijtsrd
Solid waste management is among the key environmental issues in India. The current research applies to the usage of or even recycled plastics as an alternative for rough aggregates in concrete. The primary goal of the analysis is to investigate the modification in the physical attributes of concrete by the inclusion of plastics to concrete. In addition to the physical qualities, winter qualities of the ensuing concrete may also be analyzed. The utilization of plastic aggregates was discovered to lead to the development of sturdy concrete. Additionally, with the plastics, the tensile and compressive strength of the concrete reduces. The foremost change brought approximately by using plastics is the fact that concrete's thermal conductivity is decreased due to the utilization of plastics. It is able to thus be declared recycled plastics are usually utilized for thermal insulation of structures. Series of experiments had been performed in this current study for a comparison of the usage of Used Plastic as a replacement of sand in various different proportions. The main conclusions drawn was that the compressive strength increases with the inclusion of Used Plastic upto a certain proportions and then reduces the strength. Monu | Er Sumesh Jain "To Study the Properties of Concrete with Partial Replacement of Aggregates by Waste Plastic" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-4 | Issue-1 , December 2019, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd29874.pdf Paper URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/engineering/civil-engineering/29874/to-study-the-properties-of-concrete-with-partial-replacement-of-aggregates-by-waste-plastic/monu
A Research on Properties of Concrete with Partial Replacement of Aggregates b...ijtsrd
Solid waste management is among the key environmental issues in India. The current research applies to the usage of or even recycled plastics as an alternative for rough aggregates in concrete. The primary goal of the analysis is to investigate the modification in the physical attributes of concrete by the inclusion of plastics to concrete. In addition to the physical qualities, winter qualities of the ensuing concrete may also be analyzed. The utilization of plastic aggregates was discovered to lead to the development of sturdy concrete. Additionally, with the plastics, the tensile and compressive strength of the concrete reduces. The foremost change brought approximately by using plastics is the fact that concrete's thermal conductivity is decreased due to the utilization of plastics. It is able to thus be declared recycled plastics are usually utilized for thermal insulation of structures. Series of experiments had been performed in this current study for a comparison of the usage of Used Plastic as a replacement of sand in various different proportions. The main conclusions drawn was that the compressive strength increases with the inclusion of Used Plastic upto a certain proportions and then reduces the strength. Monu | Er Sumesh Jain "A Research on Properties of Concrete with Partial Replacement of Aggregates by Waste Plastic" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-4 | Issue-1 , December 2019, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd29875.pdf Paper URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/engineering/civil-engineering/29875/a-research-on-properties-of-concrete-with-partial-replacement-of-aggregates-by-waste-plastic/monu
International Refereed Journal of Engineering and Science (IRJES)irjes
The core of the vision IRJES is to disseminate new knowledge and technology for the benefit of all, ranging from academic research and professional communities to industry professionals in a range of topics in computer science and engineering. It also provides a place for high-caliber researchers, practitioners and PhD students to present ongoing research and development in these areas.
First CELLUWOOD Newsletter (January 2014)
CELLUWOOD is a four years EU project, funded under the Eco Innovation research initiative. The project aims to develop a new range of structural elements made of wood by introducing innovative production elements and includes the use of cellulose instead of petroleum-based glue in the lamination of the timber products. The ‘physical’ results will be the strong eco-beams and columns and their most sustainable manufacturing technologies, in addition to significant environmental and cost benefits of the innovation. These are achieved by the introduction of the (new) technologies from other sectors (e.g. cellulose velvet, biocomposite reinforcement and bio-resin) for innovative uses in the defect removal and repairing, facilitating innovation in the use of nano/micro cellulose and bio-resin technologies in timber reengineering, and the development, testing and demonstration of the novel initiative products.
Coordinator and responsible of the project at AIDIMA: Miguel Ángel Abián
This project is co-funded by IVACE (Instituto Valenciano de Competitividad Empresarial) and by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Conservation of Concrete Structure in BuildingsMalkit Singh
Presentation on Conservation of Concrete Structure in Buildings by Prof. Jagjit Singh Ghuman, Life Member INTACH, Formerly Chief Town Planner and Head T&CP Deptt., Govt. of Pb. in Guest Lecture Cum Workshop On "Cultural Heritage Conservation: Towards New Paradigm" organised by Chandigarh College of Architecture on 3rd May, 2013
Development of Wood-Plastic Composite at Dedan Kimathi University of Technolo...IJERA Editor
Disposal of plastics and other solid wastes has been a major problem in Kenya. Most of these wastes can be
recycled through various ways and methods to produce new products. Plastics can be combined with sawdust to
develop composite materials for applications such as in building. In this project, a wood-plastic composite
(WPC) was developed from sawdust and plastic solid wastes.
The composite bore the advantages of both wood and plastics which can be applied in various sectors including
interior design work and in automotive among others, thereby curbing the problem of garbage accumulation in
the environment. The project provides eco-friendly solutions by making best use of the available resources
(wood and plastic resins) thus, finding sustainable solutions to the problem of limited waste dumping sites and
deforestation in the country. The composites were made from PP and HDPE thermoplastics and mahogany
sawdust obtained from our wood workshop in Dedan Kimathi University. From the tests carried out and results
obtained, it was found that, the composite has more advantages than the individual constituent materials.
Water absorption test revealed that all the samples took up water though not as much pronounced as for plain
sawdust. Additionally, the rate of water reduction was found to be excellent. They took less time to release the
absorbed water to the environment meaning that they can be applied in humid or wet environ. The composite
samples were easy to machine since they were easily shaped using a handsaw.
Study of Flexural Strength and Flexural Modulus of Reinforced Concrete Beams ...Premier Publishers
This study was carried out to investigate the effects of raffia palm fibre on some mechanical behaviour (flexural strength, flexural modulus, water absorption rate and density) of concrete. A concrete mix ratio of 1:2:4 was used for the concrete beams production, while a water to cement ratio (w/c) of 0.5 was adopted. In the study, three different fibre lengths (10, 20 and 30 mm) and three different fibre content (volume) by mass of fine aggregate (1, 2 and 3%) were considered. According to the results of the preliminary test carried out on the fine aggregate, it had a silt content of 1.6%, a moisture content of 8.3%, and a specific gravity of 2.95. Flexural properties of the beams were tested in accordance with ASTM recommended procedures after 28 curing days. Results obtained showed that fibre volume had significant (p ≤0.05) effect on the flexural strength and flexural modulus of the beams. The flexural strength and flexural modulus decreased linearly as the fibre volume increased from 0% to 3%. According to the results, the fibre reinforced beams were more ductile, when compared to the unreinforced concrete beams. In addition, the densities of the beams decreased with increase in the fibre volume; while their water absorption rate increased with increase in the fibre volume. The low densities and brittleness of the reinforced beams (at low volume) made them good building materials, especially when heavy weight beams are a problem, provided the beams are not exposed to high moisture levels.
Relationship of economic and environmental factors with the acceptance of ear...Shadi Zare Shahabadi
Since time immemorial, earthen architecture has been prevalent in Yazd; however, in spite of its merits and benefits, tendency for it has decreased over recent decades. The main objective of this research is to clarify the relationship of economic and environmental factors with the acceptance of newly built earthen houses. The research is a cross-sectional study conducted through a survey method. The sample population consisted of 145 young educated couples in Yazd selected based on the Cochran formula and through a multi-stage cluster sampling procedure. The results showed that the acceptance of newly built earthen houses among the respondents was higher than average. The perceived usefulness of this architecture in terms of both economic and environmental factors had a positive and significant correlation with the acceptance of that, while none of the demographic variables associated with acceptance. Using the regression model, environmental and then economic factors were found to account for 39 percent of the variance for the acceptance of the earthen architecture. According to these results, it seems that taking environmental and economic factors into consideration can affect people's interest and their acceptance of newly built earthen houses. In this regard, certain architectural solutions are presented in the paper. This research findings provide motivation for further and broader studies in this field.
Study of natural fibers from waste from sponge gourd, peach palm tree and pap...Agriculture Journal IJOEAR
— Lignocellulosic wastes from agro-industry are usually discarded, despite their technical potential for use to reinforce composites. Because of increasing environmental concerns, scientific interest is growing to characterize fiber residues from peach palm tree trunks, papaya tree trunks and sponge gourds. The peach palm residues were obtained from the portion of the trunk not suitable for hearts of palm, while the papaya trunk residues were obtained from trees cut down after three years of fruit production and the sponge gourd waste material came from leftover gourds not suitable for making bath sponges. The materials were characterized regarding moisture content, density, ash content, lignin and holocellulose content, and soluble content, and were submitted to thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction, mechanic property and morphological analysis by scanning electron microscopy. The moisture, extractives and ash contents of the papaya pseudsterm and peach palm wastes were very near each other. The sponge gourd fibers had the highest concentrations of α-cellulose and hemicellulose and lowest levels of extractable soluble, and ash. The characterization results show that these waste materials are comparable with other agro-industrial residues described in the literature for use in making composites, so they have good potential for use as polymer reinforcement. Keywords— lignocellulosic fibers, peach palm tree, papaya pseudstem, sponge gourd.
Water Absorption, Thickness Swelling and Rheological Properties of Agro Fiber...iosrjce
IOSR Journal of Polymer and Textile Engineering (IOSR-JPTE) is ambitious to disseminate information and experience in education, practice and investigation between polimer, fibric and all the sciences involved in textile.
The Effect of Moisture Content on Some Physical and Engineering Properties of...theijes
Locust bean is a perennial edible crop and important source of food that must be processed for preservation and availability throughout the year. Physical and mechanical properties of locust beans are necessary for the design of equipment to handle, transport, process and store the crop. The properties were evaluated as a function of moisture content of locust beans. The locust seeds were tested for size and shape, true density, bulk density, porosity, sphericity, static coefficient of friction on plywood, aluminium and stainless, angle of repose and specific heat atmoisture conten to franging from 10.50 and 20.76 % (dry basis). The average length, width, thickness and geometric mean diameter of the locust beans were 12.04, 8.36, 5.04 and 7.50 mm respectively, while the true density, bulk density, porosity, surface area and sphere city were, 1166.09 kg/m3 ,729.90 kg/m3 , 37.37 %, 204.25 mm2 and 0.67, respectively. The respective values of static coefficient of friction for plywood, stainless and aluminium were 0.56, 0.51 and 0.48 while the angle of repose was 40.17o .The higher friction of coefficient was observed on plywood and the lowest on aluminium. The specific heat was observed to be 3.8 kJ/kg/Kat moisture content of 10.50 %.The information provided in this study will be useful for locust bean seed processing machine design and fabrication as well as industrial processing and structural design of storage bin of the seed.
1 ijreh dec-2017-3-environmental and socio-economicAI Publications
The benefits of the use of biochar in improvement of soil properties and crop growth have been dominating scientific debates in efforts to include biochar in policy and regulatory frameworks. The study incorporated a semi participatory methodology involving farmers to gain anon-farm-view assessment of the challenges, environmental feasibility, economic profitability and socio-cultural soundness of biochar production and use. Biochar produced from cassava stems, ricehuskand corncobs using an Elsa pyrolyser were applied at 16kg/plot on 8m2 experimental plots during the 2016/2017 cropping season in Nkolbisson, Cameroon following a complete randomised design with three replications. Cassava plant growth parameters were measured at 3, 6 and 9 months after planting while yields were obtained at harvest. Cost benefit analysis was used to evaluate the total costs and revenue returns.Fifteen farmers participated in the trialand semi-structured questionnaires and interviews were used to elucidate farmer’s assessment of biochar. Results showed that, farmers using ricehusk biochar encured more profits with net benefits of 1.44 million fCFA andmarginal rate of return (33.06%) compared to thecontrol (583267fCFA) with MRR of 12.33% and corncob biochar (353436 fCFA) with MRR of 7.80%. Additional revenue (34.95%)was gained from the use of ricehusk biochar market price for CO2 offset at ($60).The use of ricehusk biochar was found to be socio-economically and environmentally feasible. However, national sensitization on biochar production could helpcreate awareness, generate a huge leap in livelihoods as well as get the attention of the government for policy drive.
International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications (IJERA) is an open access online peer reviewed international journal that publishes research and review articles in the fields of Computer Science, Neural Networks, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, Information Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Plastic Engineering, Food Technology, Textile Engineering, Nano Technology & science, Power Electronics, Electronics & Communication Engineering, Computational mathematics, Image processing, Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Environmental Engineering, VLSI Testing & Low Power VLSI Design etc.
DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF SOME OF THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF KENAF/POLY...IAEME Publication
Plant fibers are mainly composed of cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin. The main advantage of employing natural fibers is that these are biodegradable and renewable and exhibit low cost, low density and high toughness. The proposed work focuses on the development of cellulose composites using Kenaf fibers. The kenaf plant (hibiscus cannabinus) belongs to Malvaceae family. In this work a study on the feasibility of extracting cellulose from plant fiber will be carried out by a chemical procedure, water pre hydrolysis. The composites will be prepared by using cellulose by using hand-layup technique. The composites are characterized by means tensile test based on ASTM standard.
Resumes, Cover Letters, and Applying OnlineBruce Bennett
This webinar showcases resume styles and the elements that go into building your resume. Every job application requires unique skills, and this session will show you how to improve your resume to match the jobs to which you are applying. Additionally, we will discuss cover letters and learn about ideas to include. Every job application requires unique skills so learn ways to give you the best chance of success when applying for a new position. Learn how to take advantage of all the features when uploading a job application to a company’s applicant tracking system.
MISS TEEN GONDA 2024 - WINNER ABHA VISHWAKARMADK PAGEANT
Abha Vishwakarma, a rising star from Uttar Pradesh, has been selected as the victor from Gonda for Miss High Schooler India 2024. She is a glad representative of India, having won the title through her commitment and efforts in different talent competitions conducted by DK Exhibition, where she was crowned Miss Gonda 2024.
NIDM (National Institute Of Digital Marketing) Bangalore Is One Of The Leading & best Digital Marketing Institute In Bangalore, India And We Have Brand Value For The Quality Of Education Which We Provide.
www.nidmindia.com
New Explore Careers and College Majors 2024Dr. Mary Askew
Explore Careers and College Majors is a new online, interactive, self-guided career, major and college planning system.
The career system works on all devices!
For more Information, go to https://bit.ly/3SW5w8W
Jill Pizzola's Tenure as Senior Talent Acquisition Partner at THOMSON REUTERS...dsnow9802
Jill Pizzola's tenure as Senior Talent Acquisition Partner at THOMSON REUTERS in Marlton, New Jersey, from 2018 to 2023, was marked by innovation and excellence.
1. See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263733372
Non-Conventional Materials and Technologies for Sustainable Engineering
Book · January 2014
CITATION
1
READS
3,198
4 authors:
Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:
NonConventional Materials and Technologies. (NOCMAT) View project
Poor bentonite beneficiation by hydrocycloning (Boa Vista-PB, Brazil), to improve their rheological properties View project
Khosrow Ghavami
Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro
144 PUBLICATIONS 3,889 CITATIONS
SEE PROFILE
Normando P. Barbosa
Universidade Federal da Paraíba
54 PUBLICATIONS 748 CITATIONS
SEE PROFILE
Ulisses Targino Bezerra
Federal Institute of Education, Science, and Technology of Paraíba, Brazil
39 PUBLICATIONS 104 CITATIONS
SEE PROFILE
Alexandr Zhemchuzhnikov
Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro
2 PUBLICATIONS 8 CITATIONS
SEE PROFILE
All content following this page was uploaded by Khosrow Ghavami on 04 April 2018.
The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.
2. Cement &
ELSEVIER Cement and Concrete Composites 21 (1999) 39-48
Concrete
Composites
Behaviour of composite soil reinforced with natural fibres
Khosrow Ghavami,“s* Romildo D. Toledo Filho,b Normando P. Barbosac
“CivilEngineering Department, Pontijkia Vniversidade Cat&ica, Rio de Janeiro (PVC-Rio), Brazil
‘Civil Engineering Department, Vniversidade Federal da Paraiba (VFPb), Campina Grande, Pb, Brazil
‘Civil Engineering Department, Universidade Federal da Paraiba (UFPb), Jodo Pessoa, Pb, Brazil
Received 30 August 1996; accepted 15 July 1998
Abstract
Next to the food shortage, the housing shortage is one of the most crucial problems on earth. To improve this situation and
make it possible to build more houses, particularly for low-income families, it is necessary to examine all locally available
materials which can be used for construction. Bamboo, sisal and coconut fibres are materials which are available in abundance
in Brazil and are not used in civil construction. To increase the amount of information concerning the physical and mechanical
behaviour of these materials several research programmes were executed at Pontifical Universidade Cat6lica in Rio de Janeiro
(PUC-Rio) and Universidade Federal da Paraiba (UFPb) under the general supervision of the first author. In this paper new
results are presented concerning the application of sisal and coconut fibres in conjunction with three types of locally appropriate
soil for the production of composite soil blocks reinforced with sisal and coconut fibres. 0 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights
reserved.
Keywords: Composite fabrication; Composite materials; Compression test; Failure; Fibre-reinforced soil; Natural fibres; Product development;
Soil; Strains; Strength of material; Stress; Tensile test; Waterproofing
1. Introduction
Although the use of asbestos-fibre-reinforced cement
boards is prohibited in many industrialized countries
and the boards are considered as a hazardous material
[1,2], they are used extensively in civil construction in
Brazil. The main reasons for their popularity are
strength, weight, durability and low cost. However, in
tropical and subtropical regions, natural fibres from
bamboo, coconut husk, sisal (agave), etc. are
abundantly available and are relatively cheap. It is
proven that vegetable fibres used with cement mortar
can produce high-performance fibreboard, which can
be used as a substitute for asbestos-cement. A higher
economy can be achieved when vegetable fibres are
used together with soil to form load-bearing structures
[3-71.
In this paper further information [8] is given about
the production of coconut and sisal fibres in Brazil.
Data are presented concerning their physical and
mechanical properties. Several investigations have been
carried out on the physical and mechanical behaviour
of coconut- and sisal-fibre-reinforced soil, which have
0958-9465/99/$ - see front matter 0 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
PII: SO958-9465(98)00033-X
*Corresponding author
shown very promising results. The presence of 4% of
fibres, by weight, reduced the occurrence of visible
cracks to null and gave high ductility soil blocks.
The constitutive relation of fibrous composite blocks
made of three local soils mixed with sisal and coconut
fibres will be discussed in a forthcoming paper. The
main variables, which generally control the strength
and performance of the developed composite, are
tensile strength, the water absorption of the fibres and
their bonding with soil. The influence of fibre/matrix
ratio and water/soil ratio has been also studied in
detail.
2. Production of sisal and coconut fibres
2.1. Coconut jibres
Coconut palms grow in tropical and subtropical
regions between latitudes 20”N and 20”s. They are
considered the most important palm trees in these
regions. Besides timber, from coconut trees one can
obtain food, oil, cosmetic products, animal food, etc.
The transversal cross-section of a coconut fruit, which
is egg shaped, consists of four basic parts:
3. 40 K. Ghavami et aLlCement and Concrete Composites 21 (1999) 39-48
l Epicarp, a shiny hard surface which partly prevents
the loss of water from the fibres.
l Mesocarp, the thick fibrous part (interest of this
work).
l Endocarp, the very rigid shell 5 mm thick for mature
coconut fruit.
l Amendoa, the white edible part of the coconut fruit
inside the large cavity, which contains coconut milk.
Mesocarp is the part from which fibres are extracted
and, on the whole, in Brazil is considered as an agricul-
tural residue. Except for a small number, which are
used for the production of carpets, brushes and other
handicrafts, the fibres are burned or dumped as
rubbish. The largest coconut-producing countries in the
world are the Philippines, Indonesia and India. In
Brazil, according to the data given by the Brazilian
Institute of Statistic and Geography (IBGE),
647451 tons/year are produced with an average produc-
tion of 3339 kg per ha of which 95% of the production
is situated in the north-eastern states of Brazil [9, lo].
Non-organized production is not included here.
Grande do Norte (RN), Pernambuco (PE) and in
Brazil as a whole, since 1983 is given in Table 1. It
should be noted that the production of sisal in Brazil
has reduced since 1985 and is creating serious local
economic problems. Most of the sisal producers in
these areas are looking for new ways to apply their
product. It should be mentioned that the plantation of
sisal has an ecological advantage as it has been proven
to prevent desertification of the land.
3. Physical properties
2.2. Sisal Jibres
Sisal plantations were developed by the Mayas in
Mexico before the arrival of Europeans. The name
sisal originates from the port town Yucatan in Mexico
and means cold water [7]. Large-scale production of
sisal started in 1888 and thereafter its plantation has
been propagated throughout tropical and subtropical
regions. There are 57 species known to date [II, 121.
Sisal fibres are extracted from the leaves of the plants,
which vary in size, between 6-10 cm in width and
50-250 cm in length depending on the species, climate
and soil in the plantation [12].
To increase our knowledge about the sisal and
coconut fibres new tests were carried out on fibres
obtained from several sisal producers and from
coconut fruits prepared in the laboratory of UFPb with
the objective of producing a databank on these two
important natural fibres. It is well known that the
physical and mechanical properties of these fibres are
affected by environmental changes, e.g. soil, time of
harvesting, process of fibre separation, treatment, air
humidity, temperature, etc. Therefore vast amounts of
data need to be collected in order to proceed with a
thorough statistical analysis.
Sisal fibres, according to the producers’ classifica-
tions, are divided into three categories depending on
their length as follows:
(a) short fibres with L 1600 mm;
(b) medium-sized fibres with 600 mm < LI 700 mm;
(c) long fibres with L > 700 mm.
In general, Brazil, Indonesia and East African
countries are the world’s main producers of sisal fibres.
The production of sisal in the main northeast states of
Brazil, which are Bahia (BA), Paraiba (PB), Rio
There is no classification available for the coir fibres.
After observation of many mesocarps it was concluded
that the coconut fibres could be divided in two groups:
(a) short fibres with L < 130 mm;
(b) long fibres with L > 130 mm.
Table 1
Sisal production in Brazil and in its main north-eastern estates since 1985 (in tonnes)
Year Paraiba Bahia Pernambuco R.G. do Norte Ceara Brazil
1983 117816 88534 150000 75 000 5265 4634 33 240 12436 340 255 306 661 180856
1984 110566 83341 170000 119000 5545 5767 33 839 16 140 310 511 320 260 224763
1985 102221 78 228 190000 190000 4343 4551 35 821 17809 220 313 332 605 29 0903
1986 94160 74671 190 130 152186 1660 1488 35821 17910 220 163 322441 246418
1987 79610 64 223 180000 108 000 1653 1260 35011 17620 220 176 296 494 19 1278
1988 82 898 57522 182000 112840 1218 989 7151 8134 226 169 273 495 18 9654
1989 72643 61628 182000 112840 1610 1426 8776 8006 228 171 265 257 22 1233
1990 72643 61614 187500 150 000 1800 1620 8776 8006 221 177 170940 22 1417
Area Production Area Production Area Production Area Production Area Production
._
Area Production
4. K. Ghavami et aLlCement and Concrete Composites 21 (1999) 39-48 41
3.1. Length and diameter
To establish the length and diameter of the fibres
under study 50 specimens for each group were chosen
randomly. Their lengths were measured using a steel
ruler, precision 0.5 mm, and their diameters,
considered to be circular, were determined using a
micrometer, precision 0.01 mm.
A summary of the results of measurements for
minimum, maximum and average length and diameter
of fibre is given in Table 2. It should be mentioned that
the diameter of the fibres is averaged for all types of
length as given in Table 2. In the available literature
the variation in diameter is found to be between
0.05-0.5 mm and 0.1-0.60 mm for sisal and coconut
fibres respectively [8,13].
3.2. Natural humidity, specific weight and water
absorption
In order to find the natural humidity, fibres were at
first air-dried for 5 days and then the same fibres were
dried in an oven at 105°C for 24 h. Their weight was
measured using electronic balance with a precision of
0.01 g. The natural humidity “H” then was calculated
using equation 1.
pd-po
Hz - x 100%
p0
Where Pd and PO are the air-dried and oven dried
weights of the fibres respectively.
The specific weight, y, of the air-dried fibres was
found using equation 2.
(2)
Where V corresponds to the volume of the displaced
water after immersion of fibres in drinking water after
24 hours. The calculated results for the minimum,
maximum and average for all types of length are also
given in Table 2. The results are based on 25 different
measurements and are compatible with those given in
the available literature. Their average specific weight
for both fibres under study may be considered to be
9.4 kN/m3.
3.3. Water absorption of the fibres
One of the main objectives of using fibres as
reinforcing elements with soil matrices is to prevent
cracking of the soil resulting from shrinkage. Tensile
shrinkage cracks in the soil are mainly due to rapid and
non-uniform drying. Reinforcing fibres in the soil
matrices prevent cracking by adhesion or bonding to
the soil. The main factors, which affect the adhesion
between the reinforcing fibres and soil, are:
(a) cohesive properties of soil;
(b) the compression friction forces appearing on the
surface of the reinforcing fibre due to shrinkage of
the soil;
(c) the shear resistance of the soil, due to the surface
form and roughness of the fibres.
The dimensional changes of natural fibres due to
moisture and temperature variation influence all three
adhesion characteristics. During mixting and drying of
the soil, the fibres absorb water and expand. The
swelling of the fibres pushes away the soil, at least at
the micro-level. Then at the end of the drying process,
the fibres lose the moisture and shrink back almost to
their original dimensions leaving very fine voids around
themselves. The swelling and shrinkage of a natural
fibre in drying soil, as shown in Fig. 1, creates limita-
tions in the use of natural fibres with soil matrices.
When establishing the adhesion properties of natural
fibres with soil their rate of water absorption and
dimensional change should be known. Subsequently, to
improve the adhesion property, an effective water-
repellent treatment in conjunction with soil must be
found. The water absorption capacity of the naturally
Table 2
Length, diameter, natural humidity and specific weight of sisal and coconut fibre
Fibre Classification Length (mm) Diameter (mm) Natural humidity (%) Specific weight (kN/m’)
min. max. av. min. max. av. min. max. av. min. max. av.
~~_~~ ~~ .~~ _~~. _~
Sisal Long 709 940 862 0.06 0.38 0.15 10.9 14.8 13.3 8.0 10.7 9.3
Medium 610 700 661
Short 382 600 543
Coconut Long 132 266 186 0.13 0.56 0.27 11.4 15.8 13.7 7.7 10.8 9.5
Short 67 130 105
1 2 3 4 5
__. ~ ~~ .~~~ ~..~~.~. __.~~_ ._~_ ~~ __.. __ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~ ---
5. 42 K. Ghavami et aLlCement and Concrete Composites 21 (1999) 39-48
Natural Fibre
Fibre and Soil
Fig. 1. Interaction of natural reinforcing fibre and drying soil.
dried fibres under study was established using equation and 0.12% and 9.8% for coconut fibres, respectively.
3. The results showed lower dimensional changes as
in which Pd and P,, denote the weight of air-dried and
soaked fibres in drinking water respectively. The
measurements were carried out at 24 h intervals for
18 days. The average percentages of the water absorp-
tion for both sisal and coconut fibres are given in Fig.
2. It can be seen that the maximum water absorption of
the fibres occurs during the first 24 h, especially for
coconut fibres. However, sisal still absorbs a high
percentage of water for up to 150 h. The new results
show the same trend as observed previously [8].
The transversal and longitudinal changes in fibre
dimensions during these predetermined periods also
were measured and the results are given in [13]. An
average increase of length and transversal section after
96 h was registered to be 0.84% and 12.9% for sisal,
compared to the first series of tests. This could be
attributed to the process of preparing the fibres [8]. It
can be seen that a significant increase occurs in the
transversal section. This increase is higher for sisal
fibres. In order to reduce water absorption of the fibres
two different water-repellent agents, which are avail-
able locally, were studied.
4. Water repellent treatment
To produce an effective water-repellent treatment,
thus improving the adhesion between natural fibres and
soil, three main factors were considered:
1. The adhesive properties of the applied substance
with fibre and soil.
2. The water-repellent property of substance.
The material had to be available locally at low cost.
Natural coconut
-- fibre
I
I I I 1
300 360 420 400
Time, hour
Fig. 2. Water absorption of natural and treated sisal and coconut fibres.
6. K. Ghavami et aLlCement and Concrete Composites 21 (1999) 39-48 43
Bituminous materials such as “piche” and “cipla” are
commonly used as a stabilizer and impermeabilization
agent of soil in civil construction in Brazil, and were
considered to satisfy all three conditions. Piche is a
liquid bitumen and is made by Betumat in the state of
Bahia. Cipla, also a liquid bitumen, and is made in
Joinville, state of Parana.
The percentage of water absorption of fibres treated
with cipla and piche is given in Fig. 2. This is a mean
value of 15 measurements. All the specimens were
M100 mm long and were dried for several days before
treatment. Then the fibre samples were immersed in
the water-repellent product for several hours. The
weight of the treated specimens was measured in the
same manner as untreated fibres after immersing them
completely in drinking water at room temperature.
This procedure was repeated at defined intervals, for
the determination of the moisture absorption.
It can be seen from Fig. 2 that piche is a more
efficient method of impermeabilization. It should be
noted that although the water absorption of natural
sisal is much higher than that of coconut fibres, treated
sisal shows almost reverse results. The water absorp-
tion of sisal treated with piche is 30% less than that of
natural coconut fibres. This may be attributed to the
microstructure of sisal fibres, which are more porous
compared with coconut fibres. Therefore sisal fibres
can absorb the water-repellent products more quickly
than coconut fibres.
5. Mechanical properties of the fihres
Several factors, such as the method of testing,
specimen length, soil condition, climate, time of
harvest, process of fibre separation, storage condition,
etc. influence the mechanical behaviour of the natural
fibres. The influence of the first two factors is estab-
lished in the laboratory and controlled with the objec-
tive of establishing a recommendation for a standard
test. All the tensile tests in this work were carried out
in a testing machine with the maximum capacity of
200 N (Branco-Marcallo, Varese). The load was
applied at the rate of 0.1 mm/s (6 mm/min). In the
previous work the influence of the specimen length was
established. It was shown that the longer the specimen
the lower the strength and strain [8].
The durability of the fibres when immersed in
normal water was also studied. For this purpose 50
tests with the gauge length of 65 mm were executed on
naturally dried fibres, soaked in drinking water and
tested at 30-day intervals for up to 210 days. All the
samples were dried before testing. The average values
of the obtained results for long and short sisal and
coconut fibres are presented in Fig. 3. In the strength-
immersion time “S-t” diagram the value of the strain
“&“corresponding to the ultimate strain of the fibres
are also given. It can be noted that the soaking time
and lengths of the specimens do not strongly influence
the ultimate strengths of the fibres.
These results confirm the superiority of sisal tensile
strength as compared with coconut fibres, also, after
long periods of immersion in normal water. The mean
values of tensile strength of 580 MPa and 150 MPa for
sisal and coconut fibres respectively are good estimates
for design purposes. The strain values of 6 and 26%
corresponding to the ultimate strength of the sisal and
coconut fibres with their respective modulus of
elasticity, E, of 18 and 3 GPa can be recommended
based on the available results.
I I I
6.4‘lo 5.9”10
/ J4.7~0
---- 5.5910
/’
fj.6Olo ---
5.2”l.J 4.9%
Long sisal fibre
LShort sisal fibre
/ Coconut fi bre
200 c__-----_________ ____ -----
24-77, 24.5’10 22.5‘Ia
1
1
OO
I I I I I I
30 60 90 120 210
Immersion time, days
Fig. 3. Variation of tensile strength and strain of the fibres with time.
7. 44 K. Ghavami et al.iCement and Concrete Composites 21 (1999) 39-48
6. Properties of the soil
In the north-east of Brazil low-cost labour is
abundantly available and soil is the cheapest construc-
tional material. Therefore most houses are self-built
using adobe blocks (puddled clay) or the traditional
method of construction which is called locally “taipa”
(pi& or rammed earth). These houses usually have a
short lifetime of several years and present with large
cracks after construction. Unfortunately, not much
work has been done to study the properties of the local
soil and consequently to find a skilful method for its
use in the construction of sound and serviceable
houses.
One of the main objectives of this work was to
provide technical information concerning the soil
commonly used in the more populated areas of Paraiba
and recommend appropriate solutions to correct short-
comings of the soil in use. The soil samples were
chosen from three regions, Taperoa, Areia and
Campina Grande. First their particle-size distribution
was established based on the sieve and sediment
method according to the Brazilian code “ABNT” [14].
Then a series of tests was carried out to find the Atter-
berg limits consistency indices of the soils. These were:
liquid limit “LL”, plastic limit “LP”, plasticity index
“IP”, shrinkage limit “LS” and the activity of the soils.
Finally the compaction properties of the soil, which are
shown in Fig. 4, were established.
The Taperoa soil has a granulometric particle size
distribution very similar to the ideal Talbot curve and
with IP of 6% and LL of 24% was found to be a stable
soil when compared with the other two [8]. The
20 I I I I I I I
18 -
Taperoh soil
Campina Grande soil
121 I I I I I I I I
6 10 14 18 22 26 30 34 38
Humidity, ‘1.
Fig. 4. Compaction properties of the studied soils
Taperoa soil also showed a higher specific density
which means that in general it has a higher compres-
sion resistance. Hence, further studies for the produc-
tion of composite soil reinforced with fibres
concentrated mainly on the Taporoa soil.
7. Constitutive relation of the soil
Any soil is basically a mixture of mineral particles
(solid), air and water, and is defined by parameters
such as bulk density, dry density and moisture content.
The soil under study has a maximum dry density of
18.8 kN/m3 and moisture content of 14.5%. To
manufacture adobe blocks the optimum water/soil (w/s)
ratio was established. For this, the compression
strength of the natural soil, considered as a reference
sample, was calculated using cylindrical specimens
12 cm in diameter “D” and 10 cm in height “H”. Test
specimens were prepared by mixing soil with 17.5, 25,
28, 30 and 33%, by weight, of water in the mixer at a
velocity of 1 Hz or until a uniform mixture was
achieved.
The compression tests were carried out in a testing
machine called Pavitest as shown in Fig. 5. The load
was applied at a velocity of 0.1 mm/s. Soil deformation
was measured by dial gauge at a precision of 0.01 mm.
In each series five tests were carried out after 7 days of
drying. The results are presented in Fig. 6, where the
soil strength versus w/s is also included. It is observed
that for this type of soil a w/s of 28% produces the
highest strength and rigidity with good workability. A
higher w/s ratio reduced the strength. This is expected
as increasing the w/s ratio on drying means that more
voids are present. Consequently the number of soil
particles surrounding the embedded fibres is reduced,
with a corresponding decrease in the effective inter-
facial contact area and debonding load.
It can be seen (Fig. 6) that the linear constitutive
relation represents the behaviour of the soil under
study. To find the specimens size effect a second series
of tests was prepared on cylindrical specimens 8 cm in
diameter “D” and 16 cm in height “H”. This type of
test is commonly used to find the mechanical property
of soil. The new series of tests was carried out on soils
with a w/s ratio of 28%. A comparison of the speci-
mens size in Fig. 7 shows that the shorter the cylinder
size the higher the values for the ultimate strength and
the lower the rigidity on the stress-strain diagram.
7.1. Behaviour of soil jibre composite
Drying of the natural soil induces tensile shrinkage
cracks mainly due to a non-uniform drying process in
addition to its granulometric particle size distribution.
To prevent cracking an optimum 4% of natural fibres
8. K. Ghavami et aLICement and Concrete Composites 21 (1999) 39-48 15
Fig. 5. Compression test of soil-fibre during application of load.
b 3-c
4
IJi
2.5
E
Ti
s
2.0
.-
w
aJ 1.5
ii
6
" 1.0
O-5
0
0
of 50 mm length in the Taperoa soil with two types of
emulsified bitumen were used. Bituminous materials
were used to waterproof the soil and fibres, thus
increasing the impermeability and reducing the water
absorption of the soil and fibres. In this manner the
abrasive properties of the soil fibres composites were
also improved.
The following test series was executed on composite
material “CM”. Six variables were considered. A desig-
nation system, which contained a complete description
of the specimen, was used as follows:
1. Soil with a w/s of 28% and 4% sisal fibre denoted as
CM28S4.
2. Soil with a w/s of 30% and 4% sisal fibre denoted as
CM30S4.
3. Soil with a w/s of 28% and 4% coconut tibre
denoted as CM28C4.
4. Soil with a w/s of 30% and 4% coconut fibre
denoted as CM30C4.
5. Soil with a w/s of 28% and 4% sisal fibre and 2%
emulsified bitumen denoted as CM28S4E2.
6. Soil with a w/s of 28% and 4% coconut fibre and
2% of emulsified bitumen denoted as CM28C4E2.
The influence of the drying period was also studied
for 7, 28, 60 and 90 days, denoted as 7D, 28D, 60D and
90D. The identification system used explains all the
variables studied. For example, the identification
CM28C4E2D7 represents composite soil material with
a w/s ratio of 28% using 4% sisal fibre in weight “S”,
(when coconut fibre “C”) and, with 2% emulsion tested
after 7 days.
Typical stress-strain curves for compression cylin-
drical specimens of 8 x 16 cm are shown in Fig. 8.
Each curve represents the average result of five speci-
5 10 15 20 25
Deformation, 0/O
Fig. 6. Influence of the w/s on the constitutive relation of the soil.
9. 46 K. Ghavami et aLlCement and Concrete Composites 21 (1999) 39-48
3-o- I I I I I I I I I
&!
=_2.5 -
Cylinder test 10 x 12 cm
Cylinder test 8 x 16cm
I I I I I I
0 I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Deformation E, “lo
Fig. 7. Influence of the specimens size on the compression strength of the soil.
mens for the soil composite with a w/s ratio of 28%. To
show the influence of fibre and/or fibre-emulsiiied
bitumen, tests also were carried out on natural soil.
These results are related to a soil matrix mixed with
4% sisal fibres and been tested after 7, 28, 60 and
90 days.
The failure mode of the specimen made of natural
soil was very quick and almost without warning. In
contrast, in the case of the composite material, after
the ultimate load was reached the specimens still
deformed and fine cracks could be seen on the surface
of the specimens. This was the same for all the compo-
site soil material. It can be observed in Fig. 8 that the
stress-strain relationship is linear for all the test series
up to maximum load. For the natural soil the final
failure occurs immediately after the ultimate load.
However, in tests on soil with 4% natural fibres work
softening can be seen.
This may be explained by considering the redistribu-
tion of internal forces from the soil matrix to the
reinforcing fibres. After final failure the soil-fibre
composite was not disintegrated completely in contrast
to natural soil specimens. Also it must be mentioned
that the fibres hold together soil matrix and no rupture
of fibres occurred although a loss of fibre bond was
observed. The bonding between the soil and the sisal
fibres will be examined at the microstructure level to
establish the factors that influence soil-fibre bonds, in
I I I
Soil 4% sisal fibre
-----_
-s,
Soil 4”/0 coconut fibre -
I 1 I
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Deformation C, %
Fig. 8. Influence of 4% fibres on the stress-strain relationship of the soil.
10. K. Ghavami et aLlCement and Concrete Composites 21 (1999) 39-48
0.5 2 CM28CD47
3 CM2054D7
4 CM20S4ED27
0
0 5 lo 15
I I I
p
3 CM2854028
4 CM2854E2028
5 CM28C4E2028
-
2 CM28C4060
4 CM2854E2060
5 CM28C4E2
v
I I I
2 CM 28C4 090
3 CM 2054090
4 CM 2654E2D
5 10 15
Strain, ‘10
Fig. 9. Compression stress-strain relationship for test series after 7, 28, 60 and 90 days.
particular the penetration of clay particles into the
fibres over time.
The compression stress-strain curves for the test
series CM28S4E2 after 7, 28, 60 and 90 days are given
in Fig. 9. On the same figure the test result for natural
soil after 28 days is presented. It can be seen that
debonding of fibres from the soil matrix takes place
after reaching the maximum load and causes a
decrease in load bearing. As mentioned earlier the
optimum w/s ratio was established to be 28%.
Tests on the water absorption of the soil fibre-
emulsion showed a significant reduction in the result.
The results of these tests and those related to the
production of the blocks and their durability will be
presented in forthcoming papers.
8. Concluding remarks
Sisal and coconut fibres exist in abundance in Brazil.
The feasibility of using these fibres in conjunction with
a soil matrix to produce composite soil has been
investigated experimentally. Test results have shown
that for the Taperoa soil the optimum w/s ratio needed
to produce a high-strength soil matrix is 28%. With this
soil matrix inclusion of 4% sisal or coconut fibre
imparted considerable ductility and also increased
slightly its compression strength. The water absorption
of sisal fibres is found to be much higher than for
coconut fibres. The introduction of emulsified bitumen
reduced the water absorption of the fibres under study
significantly. However, introduction of the emulsion
did not improve the bonding between the soil and
fibres, but did improve significantly its durability.
One of the significant effects of the inclusion of
natural fibres in the soil matrix was the prevention of
shrinkage cracks due to the drying process. In this
paper the 50mm long fibres, introduced randomly,
were used in the production of the soil composite. It
will be necessary to investigate other dimensions in
order to establish the optimum length for maximum
strength. The effect of fibre orientation inside the
matrix should also be studied. Furthermore, in order to
understand better the bond between soil matrix and
fibre, a study of the microstructure is needed.
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to express their appreciation to MS
Soenia Marques T. de Souza for her participation in
the execution of the experiments. Appreciation is also
to CNPq for the partial financial support of this
project. Finally special thanks to Ursula Schtiler-
Ghavami, for the production of the drawings.
References
[l] Tarricone P. The Asbestos Agenda. Civil Engineering, AXE,
October 1989:48-51.
[2] Putz J. Asbest Report: Vom Wunderstoff Zur Ahlast. Verlags-
gesellschaft, Koln, 1989 (in German).
[3] Gram HE. Durability of Natural Fibres in Concrete. Swedish
Cement and Concrete Research Institute, 1983:225.
[4] Gram HE. Natural fibre concrete roofing. Natural Fibre
Reinforced Cement and Concrete 1983;5:256-85.
[5] SKAT 4. Standards Guidelines - Fibre or Micro Concrete
Tiles. Co-publication of SKAT, Element 4, St. Gallen, Switzer-
land, 1992:49.
[6] SKAT 10. The Basics of Concrete Roofing Elements - Funda-
mental of MCR, FCR. SKAT, Element 10, St. Gallen, Switzer-
land, 1993.
11. 48 K. Ghavami et aLlCement and Concrete Composites 21 (1999) 39-48
[7] Gram HE, Gut P. Quality Control Guidelines - Fibre or Micro
Concrete Tiles. Co-publication of SKAT, Element 23, St.
Gallen, Switzerland, 1993.
[8] Toledo Filho RD, Barbosa NP, Ghavami K. Application of sisal
and coconut fibres in adobe blocks. Proceedings of the Second
International RILEM Symposium on Vegetable Plants and
Their Fibres as Building Material. Salvador, Brazil, 17-21,
Sept., 1990:139-49.
[9] IBGE Foundation. Dados preliminares (Preliminary data) Rio
de Janeiro, 1983 (in Portuguese).
[lo] Dias BC. Subsidios ao grupo de trabalho para elaboraccclo de
diretrizes da politica national de coca (Cocos nucifera L.).
Maceio, CEPCAC, 1980 (in Portuguese).
[ll] Nilsson LH. Reinforcement of concrete with sisal and other
vegetable fibres. Swedish Council for Building Research,
Document DIY, Stockholm, Sweden, 1975:68.
[12] Vale LV. A cultura sisaleira. EMBRAPA/CPA Campina
Grande, PB, 1991 (in Portuguese).
[13] Barreto RL. Propriedades Fisicas e Me&micas das Fibras de
Coca e Sisal. Internal Report. DEAg./CCT/UFPb, Campina
Grande, Pb, 1991 (in Portuguese).
[14] NBR 7181. Analise Granulometrica dos Solos, Brazilian Associ-
ation for Technical Norms ABNT, Rio de Janeiro 1991 (in
Portuguese).
View publication stats
View publication stats