Review on Strengthening the Characteristics of Concrete Using Oil Coated Coconut Fibre

Abstract

Sustainability is a widely acknowledged concept in modern day construction scenario. Although the construction industry is transforming in a substantial way in terms of the material used and the equipment used, the construction cost has risen steeply along with the worse impact on the environment due to this it has resulted in the acceptance of method like the use of natural fiber for example Coconut fibre for improving the strength of concrete. Coconut fiber is easily and widely available in abundance, which makes it fairly sustainable as form of reinforcement material in concrete. The use of coconut fibre as in form of reinforcement has also emerged as new source of income for the coconut producer. In addition, it can also be seen as a new effective way for the discarding of coir mattress wastage. The major problem of coconut fibre i.e. high water absorption rate of the fibre can be reduced to certain extent by coating the fibres with appropriate oil. In addition to this, the fibres which are naturally occurring is also ecologically sustainable and can lower the global carbon track effectively. This study aims to analyse the difference in strength of coconut fibre (processed fibres coated with oil and oil raw fibres coated with oil) reinforced concrete at various fibre contents and to collate it with the traditional concrete. The different strength aspects which are analysed in this study are the tensile, compressive and flexural strength of the concrete reinforced with coconut fibre at different percentages like 4%, 5% & 6% by the weight of cement of fibre. The optimum percentage of the raw fibre meshes and processed fibre were found and the optimum percentage of super-plasticizer required for the desired workability was also examined.