J. Appl. Emerg. Sci.

, 2017, 7(2)

Experimental Study on Comparison of Strength Properties of Natural Waste

Fiber (Coir and Jute) Reinforced Concrete

Syed Nasir, Muhammad Ayoub, Syed Zafar, Ahmed Bilal, Anwaar Hazoor, Ehsanullah Kakar, Aamir
Mehmood

Department of Civil Engineering, Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management
Sciences, Quetta, Pakistan.

Abstract
For this study, natural waste fiber (coir and jute) were used as they are freely available in large quantities.
The property of natural waste fiber (coir and jute) reinforced concrete was compared with conventional
concrete based on experiments performed in the laboratory. The use of coir and jute fiber will also lead to
better management of these natural waste fibers. Coconut and jute fibers were cut into desire length of 71.67
mm and 96.48 mm per aspect ratio of 75. 1:2:4 ratios concrete mix was produced which contains coir and
jute fiber of 0.5, 1 and 1.5% by volume of concrete. Engineering properties such as workability, flexural
strength and compressive strength of coir and jute fibers reinforce concrete specimens were determined
following standard procedures at curing ages of 7, 14 and 28 days. The results showed that the workability
decrease from increase of fibers, while the compressive strength increased up to 4.5% and flexural strength
increased up to 5.9% but dropped afterwards when compared with conventional concrete.

Keywords: Natural Fiber; Coir Fiber; Jute Fibers; Concrete; Compressive Strength; Flexural Strength;
Workability

Corresponding author’s email: [email protected]

INTRODUCTION
Concrete is inexpensive, durable, and readily moldable into complicated shapes and has good compressive
strength and stiffness due to which it is most frequently used man made material in the world. However, it
has low ductility, low energy absorption and low tensile strength. In structures, it is reinforced with
reinforcement bars or mesh (rebar's) due its lack of tensile strength. But this type of reinforcement is crude
and ineffective for controlling cracks. Also, this reinforcement gets decayed and corroded in abusive
environments. Concrete technology now contains reinforcement in the form of fibers, Fiber-reinforcement is
not used for structural strengthening, and rather it reduces the requirement of amount of rebar’s or mesh
and adds to the improvement of durability by delaying the crack propagation.
The concept of reinforcement in the form of fibers is not new. In ancient times horsehair was used in mortar
and straw in mud bricks as fiber reinforcement. Considerable efforts have been made world-wide to add
various types of fibers to concrete so to make it more strong, durable and economical. Natural fiber such as
coir and jute has certain mechanical and physical characteristics due to which it can be utilized effectively
in the development of reinforced concrete material. In most cases, these fibers are dumped as agricultural
waste, so can be easily available in large quantity hence making them cheap.
(Hasan et al., 2012) from Malaysia, have investigated concrete physical and mechanical characteristics after
adding coconut fiber on a volume basis. They conducted a micro structural analysis test using a scanning
electron microscope for understanding the bonding behavior of the coconut fibers. (Domke, 2012) from
Nagpur, Maharashtra has investigated the use of natural and agricultural waste products such as coconut
fibers and rice husk ash to enhance the properties of concrete. The study also emphasizes on the fact that
coconut fibers and rice husk ash not only improve the properties of concrete, but it also leads to proper
disposal of these waste materials and reduces their impact on the environment.(Baruah and Talukdar, 2007)
Investigated coir fiber reinforced concrete with the volume fraction 0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0% by the
volume fraction of concrete shows compressive strength, modulus of rupture, split tensile strength, toughness
and shear strength continuously increases up to 2% volume fraction of concrete.

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J. Appl. Emerg. Sci., 2017, 7(2)

Experimental Study on Comparison of Strength Properties of Natural Waste Fiber (Coir and Jute) Reinforced Concrete

(Majid et al., 2012) from New Zealand has investigated coconut fiber reinforced concrete (CFRC) members
mechanical and dynamic properties. An assessment between the static and dynamic moduli was conducted.
The influence of 1%, 2%, 3% and 5% fiber contents by mass of cement and fiber lengths of 2.5, 5 and 7.5
cm is investigated. CFRC with higher fiber content has a higher damping but lower dynamic and static
modulus of elasticity. It is found that CFRC with a fiber length of 5 cm and a fiber content of 5% has the best
properties. (Ramli et al., 2013) from Malaysia studied the strength and durability of coconut fiber reinforced
concrete in aggressive environments. Their aim was to mitigate the development of cracks in marine
structures by introducing coconut fibers which would provide a localized reinforcing effect. The result shows
that the fibers play a role in restraining the development of cracks. However, the dosage of coconut fiber
should be low, not exceeding 1.2% of the binder volume, due to the drawback of its natural degradation.
(Yalley and Khen, 2009) from United Kingdom performed various tests to study the enhancement of concrete
properties after addition of coconut fiber. Their study focused on the coconut fiber obtained from Ghana
Africa. They investigated the compressive strength, tensile strength, torsional strength, toughness and its
ability to resist cracking and spalling. That addition of coconut fiber to concrete leads to improvement of
concrete the toughness torsion and the tensile stress, further work is however, required to assess the
long-term durability of concrete enhanced with coconut fibers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The materials used for this research include: ordinary port land cement (OPC), coarse aggregates with size
19 mm to 12.5 mm, fine aggregates, coir and jute that was purchased from local market respectively. The
aspect ratio of the fiber in this study was kept 75 and the required length of the coir jute fiber was calculated
as Shown in Table 1.

Table 1: Fiber aspect ratio

Length
Aspect Ratio Diameter
Fiber Type mm
L/D mm
(L=ARxD)
Coir 75 0.9556 71.67
Jute 75 1.2864 96.48

In research
In this this research 1:2:4
1:2:4 ratio ratiomixconcrete
concrete was used.mix The was used. investigation
experimental The experimental
was carriedinvestigation
out for both was
Plain Concrete and Fiber Reinforced Concrete on casting cubes of 6” × 6”, and beams of 6” × 6” × 18” by
varying
carried out forthe percentage
both PlainofConcrete
addition ofand75 Aspect
Fiber ratio Natural fibers
Reinforced by 0%,on
Concrete 0.5%, 1% & cubes
casting 1.5% toof the6”total
× 6”, and
volume of the concrete. Three samples for dissimilar percentages and proportions of fibers added to concrete
beamswas ofcasted
6” × and
6” cured.
× 18”The by cured
varyingsamplethewas tested for fresh
percentage and hard of
of addition properties of concrete
75 Aspect ratiofor 7, 14 and
Natural fibers by
28-day strength.
Weigh batching
0%, 0.5%, 1% & 1.5%was adapted
to thetototal
batchvolume
materialsof like cement,
the fine aggregate,
concrete. coarse aggregate,
Three samples coir andpercentages
for dissimilar jute
for a higher degree of accuracy in experimental work. Concrete mixing has been done with help of concrete
mixing machine
and proportions ofand manual
fibers distribution
added of fiber was
to concrete wasadopted
castedto and
overcome
cured. theThe
problem
curedof uniform
sampledistribution
was tested for
in concrete. Once the concrete was mixed thoroughly it was placed in a large rigid pan where the quality of
freshconcrete
and hard was observed and
properties test for fresh
of concrete forconcrete was 28-day
7, 14 and conducted according to (ASTM International, 2003)
strength.
and then it was poured in the moulds of cubes and beams. The inner surface of the moulds was coated with
oil before pouring so that they can be easily demoulded after 24 hours.
Once the concrete
Weigh was set
batching wasthoroughly,
adapted the to
cubes and beams
batch were demoulded
materials like cement,and were cured
fine in ordinary coarse
aggregate,
water by complete immersion for the required time of 7, 14 and 28 days. After curing period of 7, 14 and 28
days, the
aggregate, specimens
coir and jutewere
for allowed
a higher to degree
dry for about one hoursinthen
of accuracy they were tested
experimental work. in universal
Concrete testing
mixing has
machine, for studying the properties compressive strength (British Standard, 1983) and flexural strength
been (ASTM
done International,
with help of 2016) of hardened
concrete mixing concrete.
machineFinally,and
the results
manual gotdistribution
from several percentages
of fiber was of fibers
adopted to
in concrete were compared.
overcome the problem of uniform distribution in concrete. Once the concrete was mixed thoroughly
it was placed in a large rigid pan where the quality of concrete was observed and test for fresh
concrete was conducted according to (ASTM International, 2003) and then it was poured in the
moulds of cubes and beams. The inner surface
106of the moulds was coated with oil before pouring so
 Workability
J. Appl. Emerg. Sci., 2017, 7(2)

The workability was tested by slump test in accordance with ASTM. The results are show
Experimental Study on Comparison of Strength Properties of Natural Waste Fiber (Coir and Jute) Reinforced Concrete
in Table 2, from the obtained results, it was observed that there was decrease in the concret
workability with increase in the percentage of fiber in the concrete as shown in Figure 1. The reaso
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
wasWorkability
due to the absorption capacity of fibers which absorb the water from the concrete mix whic
The workability was tested by slump test in accordance with ASTM. The results are shown in Table 2, from
the obtained results, it was observed that there was decrease in the concrete workability with increase in
lowers the workability furthermore the fiber in concrete prevented the concrete ingredients from
the percentage of fiber in the concrete as shown in Figure 1. The reason was due to the absorption capacity
of fibers which absorb the water from the concrete mix which lowers the workability furthermore the fiber in
flowing which also decreased the workability.
concrete prevented the concrete ingredients from flowing which also decreased the workability.

Table 2:2:Workability
Table Workabilityresults (slump)(slump)
results

%age of Fiber (Coir

Slump Value (inch) Slump Value (mm)
& Jute)
0 3.30 84
0.5 2.32 59
1 1.25 32
1.5 0.62 16

90
80
70
Slump (mm)

60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0 0.5 1 1.5
% Age of Fiber

Figure 1: Workability of concrete mix with different % of fiber

Compressive Strength
Compressive strength test was conducted on compressive testing machine in accordance with British
Standard to evaluate the strength development of concrete containing various percentages result is shown
in Table 3. From the obtained results, it was observed that the compressive strength of all concrete samples
was increasing up to addition of 1% fiber and after that, strength reduced with the increase in fiber Percentage.
After 28 days compressive strength of 1% fiber reinforced concrete increases 4.5% as compared to plain
concrete as shown in Figure 2.

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J. Appl. Emerg. Sci., 2017, 7(2)

Experimental Study on Comparison of Strength Properties of Natural Waste Fiber (Coir and Jute) Reinforced Concrete

Table 3: Compressive strength results of cube

0 0.5 1.0 1.5

Sample
Days %fiber % fiber % fiber % fiber
No.
Strength Strength Strength Strength
(Psi) (Psi) (Psi) (Psi)
1 1488.318 1510.869 1555.969 1398.117
2 1518.085 1541.086 1587.089 1426.08
7
3 1465.994 1488.206 1532.63 1377.146
Average 1490.799 1513.387 1558.563 1400.448
1 2060.749 2060.593 2154.419 1935.855
2 2101.964 2060.593 2197.507 1974.572
14
3 2029.837 2060.593 2122.103 1906.817
Average 2064.183 2095.459 2158.01 1939.081
1 2266.824 2301.169 2369.861 2129.44
2 2312.16 2347.193 2417.258 2172.029
28
3 2232.821 2266.652 2334.313 2097.499
Average 2270.602 2305.005 2373.811 2132.989

Figure 2: Average compressive strength

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J. Appl. Emerg. Sci., 2017, 7(2)

Experimental Study on Comparison of Strength Properties of Natural Waste Fiber (Coir and Jute) Reinforced Concrete

Flexural Test
Flexural strength test was conducted on universal testing machine as per ASTM to evaluate the strength
development of concrete containing various fiber contents. Test results obtained for different sample are
shown in Table 4. From the obtained results, it was observed that the flexural strength of the beam specimens
obtained from fiber reinforced concrete at different ages are effectively increases with the increase in fiber
percentage and the flexural strength of 28 days sample for 1% fiber increased 5.9 % as compared to plain
concrete as shown in Figure 3.

Table 4: Flexural test results of beam

0.5 % 1.0 % 1.5 %

0 % fiber
Sample fiber fiber fiber
Days
No. Strength Strength Strength Strength
(Psi) (Psi) (Psi) (Psi)
1 502.456 520.555 550.981 566.066
2 511.215 510.142 541.145 552.893
7
3 512.145 524.357 544.112 559.312
Average 508.6053 518.3513 545.4127 559.4237
1 710.154 720.768 753.426 783.619
2 712.541 722.488 742.457 780.921
14
3 706.871 728.741 749.185 788.814
Average 709.8553 723.999 748.356 784.4513
1 789.348 800.854 837.141 862.125
2 778.244 803.917 825.154 879.657
28
3 785.125 799.158 830.541 870.119
Average 784.239 801.3097 830.9453 870.6337

Figure 3: Average flexural strength

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J. Appl. Emerg. Sci., 2017, 7(2)

Experimental Study on Comparison of Strength Properties of Natural Waste Fiber (Coir and Jute) Reinforced Concrete

CONCLUSION
The following conclusions are drawn based on current study and the laboratory experimental work carried
out in the research. Workability reduced as the fiber content increases. Because as the fiber percentage
was enlarged, the mix became more cohesive. The compressive strength has an increasing trend up to 1%.
After that, strength reduced with the increase in fiber Percentage. The compressive strength of 1% of coir
and Jute fibers by volume of concrete gave optimum results with increase of 4.5% compressive strength as
compared to normal concrete. The flexural strength also has an increasing trend. The flexural strength of
1% of coir and Jute fibers by volume of concrete increases up to 5.9% as compared to normal concrete.

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