Effect of plant-based natural fibers on the mechanical properties and volume change of cement paste

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to check the feasibility of using biomaterial such as of Phragmites-Australis (PA) in cement paste to achieve sustainable building materials.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, cement pastes were prepared by adding locally produced PA fibers in four different volumes: 0%, 0.5%, 1% and 2% for a duration of 180 days. Bottles and prisms were subjected to chemical shrinkage (CS), drying shrinkage (DS), autogenous shrinkage (AS) and expansion tests. Besides, prism specimens were tested for flexural strength and compressive strength. Furthermore, a mathematical model was proposed to determine the variation length change as function of time.FindingsThe experimental findings showed that the mechanical properties of cement paste were significantly improved by the addition of 1% PA fiber compared to other PA mixes. The effect of increasing the % of PA fibers reduces the CS, AS, DS and expansion of cement paste. For example, the addition of 2% PA fibers reduces the CS, expansion, AS and DS at 180 days by 36%, 20%, 13% and 10%, respectively compared to the control mix. The proposed nonlinear model fit to the experimental data is appropriate with R2 values above 0.92. There seems to be a strong positive linear correlation between CS and AS/DS with R2 above 0.95. However, there exists a negative linear correlation between CS and expansion.Research limitations/implicationsThe PA used in this study was obtained from one specific location. This can exhibit a limitation as soil type may affect PA properties. Also, one method was used to treat the PA fibers.Practical implicationsThe utilization of PA fibers in paste may well reduce the formation of cracks and limit its propagation, thus using a biomaterial such as PA in cementitious systems can be an environmentally friendly option as it will make good use of the waste generated and enhance local employment, thereby contributing toward sustainable development.Originality/valueTo the authors best knowledge, there is hardly any research on the effect of PA on the volume stability of cement paste. Therefore, the research outputs are considered to be original.