A review on the use of date palm fibers to reinforce earth-based construction materials

Abstract

The use of natural fibers to reinforce earth construction materials is an old concept. Indeed, for some of these materials such as cob and adobe, the use of plant fibers is a common practice. This fiber reinforcement mainly aims to improve the mechanical behavior of earthen materials and reduce shrinkage cracks. Straw fibers are the most commonly used. But nowadays, the concept of fiber reinforcement has expanded to include fibers from various origins. The focus of this paper will be on the use of date palm fibers in reinforcing earthen building materials. The present review discusses the following axes: the origin of these fibers, their properties, the main treatment techniques applied to them before their use, the earth construction techniques concerned by this type of reinforcement, and the impact of date palm fibers on the earth-based materials’ physical, mechanical and thermal properties. The main results and conclusions can be summarized as follows: the reinforcement of earth-based materials with date palm fibers affects their physical properties by decreasing their dry density and increasing their water absorption capacity as the fiber content increases. Tensile strength and ductility are enhanced when increasing date palm fiber content. Compressive strength can increase but decrease when an optimal fiber content is reached. The addition of palm fibers has also improved the thermal insulation of earthen materials. Regarding the durability of earth-based materials, it does not seem to be affected by date palm fiber reinforcement.