Evaluation of Water Hyacinth Ash, Extract, and Fiber in Concrete: A Literature Review

Abstract

AbstractWater hyacinth is a free-floating perennial aquatic plant native to tropical and subtropical South America. It is a bothersome plant due to its broad, thick, glossy, ovate leaves that can reach up to 1 meter above the water’s surface. Water hyacinth blooming in most rivers and lakes is the most visible effect of aggravating environmental pollution, a perennial problem that could have been controlled. Hence, the applications of water hyacinth should be explored, investigated, and promoted to motivate its harvesting to manage its growth. Besides being utilized as raw materials for handloom weaving livelihood programs, the feasibility of using this material in concrete production attracted many researchers’ attention. The literature review evaluates water hyacinth in liquid form, ash, and dried fibers to produce an environmentally friendly, blended concrete material. The experimental process conducted by different researchers shows significant improvements in the parameters of concrete. WHA demonstrates that ash is a potential pozzolanic substance that improves concrete durability and marginally affects its strength. It is also worth mentioning that concrete reinforced with water hyacinth fiber was light, making it suited for use in the building industry where lightweight concrete is desired. Moreover, finally, water hyacinth extract increases the slump value of concrete; thus, it can be employed as a superplasticizer in concrete with a lower water–cement ratio.KeywordsWater hyacinthBlended cementConcreteBio-waste material