Mechanical performance of mortar mixes reinforced with hemp and fique fibers treated with sodium silicate

Abstract

Natural fibers have been a replacement option for the plastic fibers used in mortar mixtures, given their ease of achievement and lower extraction cost, this gives them a strong advantage over their potential application as reinforcement. Hemp and fique were added to the mortar matrix, these fibers were superficially treated with sodium hydroxide at 1%, 2%, 5% and 10%. Subsequently, the fibers were immersed in a sodium silicate solution for 24 hours, extracting them and allowing them to dry at room temperature. The fibers were chemically characterized using infrared spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy, and gravimetric techniques. Mortar cubes and mortar beams were made evaluating their mechanical performance with the addition of 1% of natural fibers with and without sodium silicate treatment. The results showed that of the untreated fibers, that of hemp is the most resistant compared to that of fique, and the chemical impregnation treatments with sodium silicate improve the mechanical properties of the fibers, in this way the addition of reinforcement in the mortar and the treatment used to improve the mechanical properties of the fibers added in the mixtures improve the flexural strength compared to the control specimen.