Evaluation of the durability of cementicious composites reinforced with natural vegetable fibers from the Amazon

Abstract

The study of the use of plant fibers as reinforcement for cementitious composites has become increasingly common in recent years, thanks to the advancement of technologies and the demand for innovative and sustainable materials. In the Amazon, this resource is widely found and used for different applications, and the present work is interested in evaluating the use of these fibers as structural reinforcement of cement slabs. The mechanical and durability properties of cementitious composites reinforced with a content of 5% vegetable fibers from jute (Corchorus capsularis) and mallow (Urena lobata L.) were investigated. The objective was to evaluate the quality and performance of these fibers as reinforcement of cementitious plates for a possible use of these composites in Civil Construction. Spreading and thermogravimetry tests were carried out on the matrix and tensile tests in flexion at 4 points on the composites. The results obtained indicated that the fibers provided an increase in the flexural strength and toughness of the composites, as well as the use of metakaolinite as a pozzolanic material, contributed to increasing the durability of these composites, indicating a great possibility of using them in structural and semi-structural applications.