Influence of Luffa fibers thermomechanical treatment and ceramic roof tile waste on performance of cementitious composites

Abstract

The performance of vegetable fibers and the insertion use of different residues in as substitution for cement are important crucial factors to be evaluated to assess in composites. Therefore, this research aims to evaluate the efficiency of thermomechanically treated vegetable fibers and the replacement of 40% of the cement mass with ceramic roof tile waste (CRW) in fiber-cement composites. Thermomechanical treatment of Luffa cylindrical fibers (LC) at 160 °C resulted in reduced absorption in composites with added ceramic roof tile waste (CRW-160) after 1 year of aging. This indicated improved mechanical performance and durability compared to composites with natural fibers. In the CRW-160 matrix, no cracks were observed, and the fibers exhibited greater pullout. The results of aged composites (CRW-160) demonstrated superior performance compared to matrices with only cement and LC fibers, as well as composites with a 40% cement replacement by CRW. This suggests that the combined use of thermomechanically treated LC fibers and partial cement replacement with CRW can enhance composite durability, reduce cement usage, and increase the utilization of discarded waste.