Optimizing Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB) of palm and glass powder as a partial substitution material of fine aggregate to increase compressive and tensile strength of normal concrete

Abstract

As a material of construction, concrete have a good compressive strength but low tensile strength. From the previous study, reducing the tensile weakness of the concrete using empty fruit bunch (EFB) of Palm for the concrete mix have a significant result. But in contrary, the use of this fiber decreases the compressive strength of concrete. This research aims to optimize a mixture of glass powders on EFB fiber as a solution to increase the compressive and tensile in strength of concrete as well. The fiber material requires pre condition treatment which is soaked in 10% NaOH for 6-10 hours, then is followed with drying for 24 hours and finally cutting into 4 cm pieces long. Using glass powder as mix design with fiber material which is substitute for fine aggregate in concrete. Variation of 0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75%, 1%, 1,25%, 1,5%, 1,75%, and 2% fiber material mix up with 10% glass powder used for concrete specimens with a diameter of 15 cm and a height of 30 cm at the age of 28 days testing. The results of this study shows an increase in the compressive and tensile strength of concrete compare to normal concrete. The optimum compressive increase 21.02% of normal concrete which is 24.87 MPa. Meanwhile the tensile strength an increase of 31,78% of normal concrete which is 3,11 MPa using 1% fibre and 10% of glass powder. Hence, using glass powder mix in EFB to increase compressive and tensile strength of concrete can be developed optimally in the future.