Experimental study on luffa fiber reinforced concrete using glass powder as cement replacement

Abstract

Waste Glass products are available across all over the world as a reusable waste and the locally available natural fiber as luffa fiber was introduced in the study. Glass materials are harmful to our environment as they are non-bio-degradable. Glass materials are crushed into micro-particles and it behaves like pozzolanic materials and it will be acts as a binding material as a cement replacement. When we replace glass powder with OPC a substantial and an economic concrete can be obtained. The mentioned Luffa fiber in concrete can enhances a little amount of compressive strength and large amount of tensile strength The chances of using waste glass dust powder and luffa fiber as a limited replacement of OPC is been checked by some experimental demonstrations. In the first phase, only cement was replaced with glass powder by 5% to 20% in the multiples of 5%. The optimum percentage of glass powder was observed as 15%. In the second phase. By keeping 15% of glass powder kept constant, luffa fibers of various percentages ranges 0.5%, 1%, 1.5% and 2% were added in the concrete. In that, the optimum percentage of luffa fiber was noticed by 1%. By keeping 15% glass powder as constant, the optimum percentage of luffa fiber was observed as 1%. Combination of both luffa fibers and glass powder enhance the strength properties as compared to the other specimens.