Addition Of Natural Fibers Research Articles

Active Constrained Layer Damping of Beams with Natural Fiber Reinforced Viscoelastic Composites

Abstract Viscoelastic composite reinforced with natural fibers is proposed here for the damping treatment of structures for vibration attenuation. The constrained layer damping (CLD) method is found a prominent structural vibration damping method and as a result of the inclusion of natural fiber, substantial damping could be achieved due to the development of shear as well as extensional strains in the viscoelastic material. Finite element analysis of a substrate beam combined with CLD treatment is used to investigate the corresponding improvement in damping. The influence of various geometry of presently considered natural viscoelastic composite layers on the CLD treatment's damping performance has been evaluated and discussed. Damping performances of natural as well as synthetic fibers have been assessed and compared for using natural fibers in viscoelastic composite for various structural applications. The addition of natural fiber has resulted from enhanced damping capacity due to substantial friction at the natural fiber-matrix interface compared to the case of interface with synthetic fiber. Natural fiber attributes less stiffness and a higher loss factor as compared to synthetic fiber and the insertion of stiff fibers affects the polymer chain's movements, decreasing the matrix phase's damping behavior. The dynamic mechanical analysis test is performed to evaluate the damping characteristics in the form of loss factor, storage, and loss modulus over the temperature range from frozen state to melting state.

Fractal Characteristics of Natural Fiber-Reinforced Soil in Arid Climate Due to Cracking

Fractal geometry is a geometry that focuses on irregular geometric forms and can quantitatively describe rough and uneven surfaces and interfaces. As the main material for making natural fiber geotextile, rice straw fiber can reduce the direct impact of rainfall on soil and reduce the intensity of hydraulic erosion. This study investigates whether the use of rice straw fiber as an additive to reinforce arid soil can inhibit moisture evaporation and prevent cracking. Samples with different fiber contents added (0%, 1%, 2%, and 4%) are placed in an environmental chamber to simulate the effects of an arid climatic condition and control the temperature and humidity levels. The cracking process of the samples is recorded by using a digital camera, and the parameters of the evaporation and cracking processes are quantitatively examined through digital image processing. The results show that all of the samples with fiber have a higher residual water content and can retain 31.4%, 58.5%, and 101.9% more water than without the fibers, respectively. Furthermore, both the primary and secondary cracks as well as crack networks are inhibited in samples with a higher fiber content, that is, 2% or 4% fiber contents. The samples reinforced with fiber also have a smaller crack ratio. Compared with the samples without straw fiber, the final crack ratio of the samples with 1%, 2%, and 4% fiber is reduced by 8.05%, 24.09%, and 35.01% respectively. Finally, the final fractal dimensions of the cracks in samples with fiber contents are also reduced by 0.54%, 5.50%, and 6.40% for the samples with 1%, 2%, and 4% fiber, respectively. The addition of natural fiber as an additive to reduce evaporative cracking in soil can: (1) reduce the soil porosity; (2) enhance the binding force between the soil particles; and (3) block the hydrophobic channels. Therefore, the addition of rice straw fiber to soil can effectively reduce soil evaporation and inhibit soil cracking.

Corrosion Resistance of Reinforcing Steel in Concrete Using Natural Fibers Treated with Used Engine Oil

The addition of natural fibers in the elaboration of concrete pastes has increased as an innovative alternative for the development of more ecological and environmentally friendly constructions. The objective of this research is to incorporate natural fiber residues from palm leaves and mango stone impregnated with used engine oil (UEO) in the cement matrix to improve the mechanical and electrochemical properties of reinforced concrete. Samples with fiber percentages of 0.2% and 0.4% with respect to the weight of the sand with a length of 10 mm were fabricated. Their properties, such as workability, air content, porosity, and compressive and flexural strength, were analyzed. To understand the corrosion rate of the steel bars, electrochemical techniques of corrosion potential, electrochemical noise, linear polarization resistance, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were applied to cubic samples exposed in a 3% sodium chloride saline environment for 365 days. The experimental results showed a positive effect on the corrosion phenomenon with the UEO and mango fiber treatment, decreasing the corrosion rate due to the formation of a protective film at the steel/concrete interface. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2024-010-04-02 Full Text: PDF

Effect of fibre loading on mechanical properties of jute fibre bundle reinforced gypsum composites

Gypsum plasterboards are widely used in interior decoration like false ceilings, wall partitioning etc. The main component of this plasterboard is gypsum, which is a mineral material. These boards contain poor mechanical strength with lower durability. The addition of natural fibres in these plasterboards can be useful to achieve better mechanical properties. Since Jute fibre is abundant in Bangladesh and its usability in reinforced composites is well established, for this reason, jute fibre was selected to do the research. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of jute fibre on the mechanical properties of the gypsum plasterboard. To make this board, Plaster of Paris and water were thoroughly mixed to make a suspension first. Different fibre loadings of 2, 4, 6, and 8% were incorporated into gypsum composites. Reinforcement of 6% fibre provided the highest tensile properties, but 8% fibre loading showed inferior tensile and flexural properties. Impact test results showed a gradually improving nature with fibre loading, and hardness values showed a decreasing trend in hardness with higher fibre loading. FTIR results and SEM images confirmed that no significant chemical bonding took place in the composites, instead, the composite depended mainly on the mechanical bonding among the reins crystals and between the fibre and gypsum matrix.

The Analysis Of Micromechanic On Creating Of Gypsum Board Strengthened By Bintaro Fruit Fiber (Cerbera Manghas) With 3d Orientation

This research succeeded in modifying the manufacture of gypsum board with the addition of natural fiber, namely bintaro fruit with the 3D orientation arrangement method. The raw materials for this research are gypsum flour and Bintaro fruit fiber as a matrix and filler. Bintaro fruit fiber previously carried out an alkalization process where the fiber was soaked in a solution of NaOH and distilled water for 24 hours. The manufacture of composites using the ratio of the matrix mass fraction and the filler mass fraction is as follows 100: 0, 99: 1, 98: 2 and 97: 3. The characterizations carried out include density test, moisture content test, flexural strength test and micromechanical analysis. Gypsum board composite based on micromechanical calculations resulted in the highest density value in the control sample, in the best density value was at the filler fraction of 3%, the best moisture content value in the control sample, the flexural strength test value the best of the control sample, but the filler fraction is 3% of the sample with the best fracture resistance. 3D orientation in theory and practice has fulfilled the principle that it is able to increase the physical and mechanical value of gypsum board.

Amelioration of flexible pavement subbases using fly ash and natural fibres

The use of fly ash as a stabilizing element has already been demonstrated to be successful. Moreover, the CBR values of fly ash do not meet IRC criteria. This study intends to analyze the addition of coir fibre, a natural and environmentally sustainable resource, as a reinforcing material. Fly ash and coconut coir are waste materials that can be locally sourced, making them cost-effective and environmentally friendly materials. The article discusses the benefits of fly ash and coconut coir in flexible pavement subbases, highlighting their potential as a sustainable solution for road construction and maintenance. The laboratory experiments conducted on fly ash subbases reinforced with various percentages of coconut coir ranging from 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 prove that the addition of natural fibres can enhance the subbase's strength properties, with a maximum improvement observed at a 0.2% reinforcement level. Further, the cyclic plate load tests conducted on the treated fly ash subbase at optimum conditions provide valuable insights into the subbase's performance under repeated loading conditions. The results suggest that the natural fibres performed satisfactorily in improving the subbase's load-carrying capacity and reducing rebound deformations, indicating that this approach can be a viable alternative to conventional pavement subbase materials.

Durability Properties of Lightweight Foamed Concrete Reinforced With ‘Musa Acuminate’ Fibre

The demand for lightweight building materials that are easy to work with, self-compacting, and environmentally friendly has been acknowledged by the construction industry globally. Given this demand, it has been discovered that a recent innovative material, lightweight foamed concrete (LFC), may be able to reduce the weight of ordinary concrete. Besides, utilizing LFC with the addition of natural fibres is seen as a great effort to assist sustainability. Corrosion of reinforcing steel, which affects the behaviour and longevity of concrete buildings, is one of the most significant challenges in the construction of reinforced LFC. Therefore, the focus of this work is on identifying the possible application of Musa Acuminate fibre (MAF) in LFC. The intention of this study is to ascertain the durability characteristics of LFC with MAF. The cast has a low density of 550 kg/m3. We'll employ several volume fractions of MAF that are 0.15%, 0.30%, 0.45%, and 0.60%. The ability to absorb water, porosity, drying shrinkage and ultrasonic pulse velocity are the four criteria that will be evaluated. For the purpose of creating the necessary density of LFC, the protein-based foaming agent Noraite PA-1 was used. A constant water-to-cement ratio of 0.45 and a constant cement-to-sand ratio of 1.5 were used to get comparable results. The findings showed that for all of the durability attributes taken into account in this research, an increase of 0.45% MAF produced the best results. This resulted from the MAF and LFC cementitious composite's better bonding performance. Additionally, the fibres served as an anti-micro crack, preventing LFC cracks.

Experimental investigation on no fines concrete by addition of natural fibres

No fines concrete is a type of lightweight concrete that is made without the use of fine aggregates. In this experimental investigation, the effect of adding bamboo and sugarcane fibres on the mechanical properties of no fines concrete was studied. The specimens were prepared by replacing a portion of the coarse aggregates with 1.5% of bamboo and sugarcane fibres by volume. The specimens were tested for compressive strength and splitting tensile strength at 7, 14, and 28 days of curing. The results showed that the addition of bamboo and sugarcane fibres improved the mechanical properties of no fines concrete. The optimal percentage of fibre content was found to be 1.5% by volume, which improved the compressive strength and splitting tensile strength by 23% and 18% respectively, compared to the control specimens. Additionally, the use o natural fibres in no-fine concrete can result in a more sustainable and eco-friendly construction material.

Statistical analysis of improved mechanical properties of clay composites by the addition of natural fibers

Statistical analysis of improved mechanical properties of clay composites by the addition of natural fibers

Enhancing of clay composites mechanical properties by the addition of natural fibers and carbon nanomaterials

Enhancing of clay composites mechanical properties by the addition of natural fibers and carbon nanomaterials

Use of Eco-Friendly Materials in the Stabilization of Expansive Soils

Volume change of expansive soils is a challenging issue, which affects various engineering structures all over the world. Consequently, we need environmentally-friendly and cost-effective soil stabilizers to address the challenges related to expansive soils. The utilization of natural fibers allows for the reduction in environmental impact since they are renewable and biodegradable raw materials. Moreover, the current article presents an experimental approach to study the effect of natural fibers on the mechanical behavior of expansive soils. Various experimental tests—such as Atterberg limits, standard compaction, direct shear, swelling potential, and swelling pressure—were conducted on control and treated soil samples using different percentages of fibers. The results of measurements of the physico-mechanical properties after reinforcement of the soil with 1%, 5%, and 10% of natural fibers indicate that the mechanical behavior of expansive soils is greatly influenced by the addition of natural fibers. To conclude, 86% reduction was observed in the swelling coefficient of treated soil. Future research can be done to check the durability of the current practice in detail.

Mechanical Performance and Durability of Date Palm Fibers Repair Mortar

Background: Concrete is the most widely used material in the world after water. However, concrete could be damaged under aggressive environments and many concrete structures require repair and frequent maintenance. Readymade mortars with and without synthetic fibers such as polypropylene and acrylic are often used as repair mortars. The partial replacement of cement by supplementary cementitious materials and the use of alternative fibers such as natural and agro-waste fibers could reduce the environmental impact of readymade mortars. Methods: This paper presents a comparative study between the performance of laboratory made and ready-made repair mortars. The laboratory repair mortars were based on date palm fibers and local mineral additions (slag and natural pozzolan). The volume ratio of date palm fibers addition was 0.75% and mineral additions content were fixed at 15% as cement replacement. Compressive strength, flexural strength, shrinkage and the bond strength by slant shear test and tensile strength of concrete by the pull-off method were investigated. The durability of the mortar was evaluated by water capillary absorption. Results: The results indicated that the addition of natural fibers and the substitution of cement by 15% of mineral additions improves the flexural strength but reduces the compressive strength of the fiber-reinforced repair mortar. The lowest values of total shrinkage, water capillary absorption and sorptivity were observed for repair mortars based on acrylic fibers compared to repair mortars with natural vegetables fibers. Conclusion: The mechanical and durability performances of laboratory made repair mortars were comparable to those of readymade mortars.

Preparation of graphene based natural fiber (Jute)-synthetic fiber (Glass) composite and evaluation of its multifunctional properties

In traditional composite, either natural fiber or synthetic fiber has been used independently as reinforcing fiber. Natural fiber-reinforced composites have poor mechanical and interfacial characteristics because of the random fiber orientation and weak fiber-matrix interface. The addition of natural fiber (jute) to synthetic fiber (glass fiber) composites can significantly improve the characteristics; mechanical qualities are more affected by layer succession. In this study, both jute and glass fiber was employed to prepare graphene-based composite for the improvement of mechanical qualities as well as electrical and thermal conductivity to overcome the disadvantages of natural fiber composite. In comparison to the composite(without rGO), the composite's(prepared with rGO) tensile strength was increased by 146%, flexural strength by 122%, impact energy by 144%, thermal conductivity by 108.33%, and electrical conductivity by 127.21%. As evidenced by good physico-electrical properties, the prepared composite could be used as the structural support where both strength (maximum tensile strength 118.20 MPa), electrical conductivity (maximum gettable current 16.7μA), and thermal conductivity are needed. In this study going beyond the traditional way of composite making, and for multifunctional properties instead of just having specific properties, the composite prepared with both natural(jute) and synthetic fiber (glass) together with rGO could lead to the development of next-generation smart, strong, and environmentally friendly multi fiber composites for high-performance engineering applications.

Investigating Features and Output Correlation Coefficient of Natural Fiber-Reinforced Poly(lactic acid) Biocomposites

Polylactic acid (PLA) material has the potential to be applied in various industrial fields, but this material has shortcomings in terms of mechanical properties, especially mechanical strength, due to brittleness nature of PLA. The manufacture of PLA composite material with the addition of natural fibers as a reinforcing phase is one of the methods to increase the impact strength and maintain the biodegradable properties of the material. However, in theory, there are many factors that affect the mechanical properties of composite materials, thus making the mechanical properties of composites more complex than monolithic materials. The mechanical properties of these composite materials can be predicted using deep learning by paying attention to the relationship between factors, and between factors and their mechanical properties. This relationship has an important role in creating a predictive model with good accuracy. Therefore, correlation analysis is an important thing to do. Correlation analysis was applied using Python programming language to determine the relationship between the impact strength of natural fiber-reinforced PLA biocomposites with its feature information: chemical composition, density, dimensions, surface chemical treatment of natural fibers, matrix-reinforcement volume fraction, and the type of processing used to manufacture the material.

Thermal properties of wood flour reinforced polyamide 6 biocomposites by twin screw extrusion

Abstract The use of waste wood flour as polymer reinforcements has recently gained popularity because of its environmental benefits. The goal of this research is to determine the thermal properties of a waste wood flour/polyamide 6 composite made via extrusion. The fillers were melt compounded with polyamide 6 at filler concentrations of 5%, 10%, and 15% using a twin screw extruder, followed by compression molding. The processability of waste wood flour/polyamide 6 composite was evaluated using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), and dynamic thermomechanical analysis (DMA). According to the TGA analysis, the thermal stability of the composites decreases as the natural fiber content increases. The onset temperature of rapid thermal deterioration was reduced somewhat from 425 °C (neat PA6) to 405 °C (15 wt% wood flour). According to the DSC results, the addition of natural fibers resulted in quantify changes in the glass transition (T g), melting (T m), and crystallization temperature (T c) of the PA6 composites. The storage modulus from the DMA study increased from 1177 MPa (neat PA6) to 1531 MPa due to the reinforcing effects of wood flour (15 wt%). Waste wood flour/polyamide 6 composites offer advantageous thermal properties, enabling us to profit from the strengthening potential of such cellulosic reinforcements while remaining recyclable and generally renewable.

Environmental degradation of foamed geopolymers

Modern materials used in civil engineering should fulfill the numerous of requirements connected building standards, but not only. They should also be ecological and durable. Geopolymers are characterized by very good mechanical properties, high resistance against acids, chlorides and sulfates, high thermal resistance, and other properties confirmed by previous research. There is still a few amount of research connected with resistance, this materials for different environmental conditions, especially a lack of investigation connected with foamed geopolymers in this area. The main objective of the article is to analyze the possibilities of the development of new foamed geopolymer composites to increase durability, especially against degradation in corrosive water environments. This paper presents the influence on the mechanical properties of foamed geopolymer composites on the water environment. As raw materials, fly ash from the coal power plant ‘Skawina’ (located in: Skawina, Lesser Poland, Poland) and metakaolin (Czech Republic) were used. The chemical composition of the fly ash is typical for class F. Additionally, the composites were reinforced by flax fiber. Solid and foam samples were prepared. As a foaming agent, hydrogen peroxide (H2\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$_{2}$$\\end{document}O2)\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$_{2})$$\\end{document} was applied. The following research methods were applied: compressive strength, flexural strength, porosity measurements, water absorption in fresh and salt water. The results show that, however, environmental conditions have a significant influence on the mechanical properties of geopolymer composites; the geopolymer composites can be successfully produced with the addition of natural fibers and have good strength parameters even after long-term use (materials were tested after 360 days).

An experimental study on the durability properties of abaca fiber concrete

The addition of natural fibers in concrete has effectively proved to increase the mechanical strength and durability of concrete in the recent years. They help to tackle the brittle response and limiting post-yield energy absorption by forming a bridge across the cracks in concrete. This study assesses the durability properties of abaca fiber reinforced concrete (AFRC) by surface water absorption test, rapid chloride permeability test (RCPT) and sorptivity test. The optimum percentage of abaca fiber (AF) to be used was chosen to be 0.5 % as it gave the maximum compressive strength value in concrete and a small amount of superplasticizer has been added to reduce the water content in the mix design to match the high water absorption capability of AF. The respective tests were performed to observe the improved properties of water resistance and resistance to chloride ions penetration after 3, 7, 28, 56, 90 and 180 days of curing. It has been found that the addition of AF enhances the ability of concrete to reduce permeability better compared to the effect of conventional concrete (CC).

Augmentation of Coconut Fiber with Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag Reinforced Light Weight Aggregated Concrete: A Review

Natural fibers are environmentally friendly, cost-effective, lightweight, renewable, and have high thermal stability with corrosion resistance capabilities. The addition of natural fibers with ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) in light weight aggregate concrete (LWAC) will be a long-term step toward improving mechanical properties and encouraging green construction. Coconut fibers are the least expensive of all-natural fibers and are widely available in a several developing countries. This study describes the impact of using coconut fibers in LWACs for sustainable construction. The effect of coconut fiber and GGBFS on the mechanical strength of LWACs including compressive strength, split tensile strength, and flexural strength, is reported. The effect of varying coconut fiber length and content on the mechanical strength of LWACs has been described, and optimum coconut fiber length and content have been reported. The current research initiative aims to increase understanding of the issues and challenges encountered during the production of coconut fiber reinforced GGBS with LWACs. In this study, it was determined that incorporating coconut fibers with GGBS can improve the strength properties of LWACs when used in shorter lengths and lower volume contents, whereas higher volume contents of coconut fibers degraded the strength properties of LWACs. Furthermore, current research on the practical applications of coconut fiber reinforced LWACs is quite limited, and more research is required in the future to determine their applications in civil engineering construction. Moreover, this review will aid in the promotion of the use of coconut fiber in the green construction of LWACs with the addition of GGBS.

Characterization of tunnel excavated earth-based mortars for rammed earth repair

The aim of this work is to study the possibility to reuse the tunnel excavated earth in order to elaborate earth-based mortar for rammed earth reparation. The tunnel excavated earth-based mortars were compared with raw earth based-mortars, largely used in practice. The cement was used as stabilizer and the hemp fibers were used to diminish the cracking due to shrinkage. The mechanical, thermal and hydric properties of mortars were characterized after 28 days. The mortars were maintained in hydrothermal chamber at controlled conditions, 20 ± 2 °C and 50 ± 5 HR. The obtained results show that the mechanical performances increase with the increase of cement by earth ratio. While, the increase of cement content affects negatively the thermal conductivity of earth-based mortars. Whereas, the thermal properties were improved with the addition of natural fiber. The excavated earth-based mortars show higher mechanical performances and good thermal properties compared to raw earth-based mortars.

An investigation on thermal and chemical behavior of jute/hemp/flax fiber reinforced woven composites and its hybrids

Natural fiber has emerged as a viable alternative to synthetic fibers like glass, carbon, and Kevlar for the development of polymeric composites. Present study focused on Thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), Differential thermal analysis (DTA), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) of the reinforced fibers and developed composites. HR-X-Ray Diffraction of neat epoxy, jute, hemp, and flax fibers was also performed. For TGA, as the temperature increases up to 2500C, thermal degradation of all composites is higher as compared to the neat epoxy. Addition of natural fibers as reinforcement with epoxy matrix affects the transmittance peaks between 1000-1500 cm-1 and 1608-1738 cm-1 in FTIR spectra. The peaks transmittance between 1000-1500 cm-1 represents the chemical compositions of the fibers (hemicellulose, cellulose, lignin, and pectin) which are the necessary part of plant fibers. In X-ray diffraction, two sharp peaks appear at a diffraction angle of 21.40 and 14.80 for jute, hemp, and flax fibers. Peak at a diffraction angle (2Ɵ) of 26.30 represents α-cellulose and 14.260 represents non-cellulose material such as hemicellulose and lignin in fiber.