Mechanical properties and flexural behaviour of fibrous cementitious composites containing hybrid, kenaf and barchip fibres in cyclic exposure

Abstract

In this study, the mechanical properties and flexural behaviour of the fibrous cementitious composites containing hybrid, kenaf and barchip fibres cured in cyclic exposure were investigated. Waste or by-product materials such as pulverized fuel ash (PFA) and ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) were used as a binder or supplementary cementitious to replace cement. Barchip and kenaf fibre were added to enhance the mechanical properties and flexural behaviour of the composites. A seven mix design of the composites containing hybrid, kenaf and barchip fibre mortar were fabricated with PFA-GGBS at 50% with hybridization of barchip and kenaf fibre between 0.5% and 2.0% by total volume weight. The composites were fabricated using 50 × 50 × 50 mm, 40 × 40 × 160 mm and 350 × 125 × 30 mm steel mould. The flexural behaviour and mechanical performance of the PFA-GGBS mortar specimens were assessed in terms of load-deflection response, load compressive response, and crack development, compressive and flexural strength after cyclic exposure for 28 days. The results showed that specimen HBK 1 (0.5% kenaf fibre and 2.0% barchip fibre) and HBK 2 (1.0% kenaf fibre and 1.5% barchip fibre) possessed good mechanical performance and flexural behaviour. As conclusion, the effect of fibres was proven to enhance the characteristics of concrete or mortar by reducing shrinkage, micro crack and additional C-S-H gel precipitated from the pozzolanic reaction acted to fill pores of the cement paste matrix and cement paste aggregate interface zone between mortar matrix and fibre bonding.