International Journal of Mechanical And Production Engineering, ISSN: 2320-2092, Volume- 3, Issue-1, Jan.

-2015

COCONUT FIBRE REINFORCED CONCRETE

KSHITIJA NADGOUDA

Assistant Professor, Sardar Patel College of Engineering, Andheri, Mumbai

E-mail: knadgouda@spce.ac.in

Abstract- Reinforcement of concrete is necessary to enhance its engineering properties. For this study, coconut fibres were
used as they are freely available in large quantities. The study comprises of comparative statement of properties of coconut
fibre reinforced concrete with conventional concrete based on experiments performed in the laboratory. The use of coconut
fibres will also lead to better management of these waste fibres. The addition of coconut fibres improved the flexural
strength of concrete by about 12%, they also formed good bonding in the concrete. The study found the optimum fibre
content to be 3% (by weight of cement). Further work is required by changing the fibre content and aspect ratio to determine
the optimum range of fibre content so that fibre reinforced concrete can be used where high flexural strength is required.

Keywords- Coconut Fibre in Concrete, Flexural Strength of Concrete.

I. INTRODUCTION 1. Workability
2. Compressive strength
Concrete is the most widely used construction 3. Split tensile strength
material all over the world. With innovations in 4. Flexural strength
science and technology in construction industry, the
scope of concrete as a structural material, has II. LITERATURE REVIEW
widened. Since concrete is weak in tension and
flexure, most commonly, it is reinforced using steel A. International Status
reinforcing bars. However usage of steel According to the research conducted by Majid Ali, et.
reinforcement is expensive. Considerable efforts have al, from New Zealand, the mechanical and dynamic
been made world-wide to add various types of fibers properties of coconut fibre reinforced concrete
to concrete so to make it more strong, durable and (CFRC) members were well examined. A comparison
economical. Natural fiber such as coconut fiber has between the static and dynamic moduli was
certain physical and mechanical characteristics that conducted. The influence of 1%, 2%, 3% and 5%
can be utilized effectively in the development of fibre contents by mass of cement and fibre lengths of
reinforced concrete material. In most cases, these 2.5, 5 and 7.5 cm is investigated. Noor Md. Sadiqul
coconut fibers are dumped as agricultural waste, so Hasan, et. al from Malaysia, have investigated the
can be easily available in large quantity hence making physical and mechanical characteristics of concrete
them cheap. after adding coconut fiber on a volume basis.
The primary goal of this project is to conduct
experimental studies for enhancement of properties of They conducted a micro structural analysis test using
concrete by reinforcing it with coconut fibers. To a scanning electron microscope for understanding the
achieve this goal, the following objectives have been bonding behaviour of the coconut fibers. Mahyuddin
identified: Ramli, et. al, from Malaysia studied the strength and
1. To determine the improvement in flexural strength durability of coconut fiber reinforced concrete in
of concrete after addition of coconut fibers. aggressive environments. Their aim was to mitigate
2. To determine the improvement in tensile strength the development of cracks in marine structures by
of concrete after addition of coconut fibers. introducing coconut fibers which would provide a
3. To know effect of addition of coconut fibers on localized reinforcing effect. Yalley, et.al, from United
compressive strength of concrete. Kingdom performed various tests to study the
4. To provide an alternative light weight material. enhancement of concrete properties after addition of
5. To evaluate the performance of coconut fiber coconut fiber. Their study focused on the coconut
reinforced concrete in reducing cracking. fiber obtained from Ghana Africa.

Use of coconut fiber can lead to improvement in They investigated the compressive strength, tensile
properties of cement concrete in addition to providing strength, torsional strength, toughness and its ability
a proper solution for disposal of this natural waste. to resist cracking and spalling.
This study will comprise of the comparative
statement of properties of coconut fiber concrete with B. National Status
conventional concrete. Domke P. V. from Nagpur, Maharashtra has
The following tests are performed on concrete blocks investigated the use of natural and agricultural waste
reinforced with coconut fiber: products such as coconut fibers and rice husk ash to

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International Journal of Mechanical And Production Engineering, ISSN: 2320-2092, Volume- 3, Issue-1, Jan.-2015

enhance the properties of concrete. The study also strength of concrete decreases with an increase in the
emphasizes on the fact that coconut fibers and rice fibre content.
husk ash not only improve the properties of concrete, B. Beams
but it also leads to proper disposal of these waste The main purpose of including fibres in concrete is to
materials and reduces their impact on the increase the flexural strength of concrete which
environment. Paramasivam, et. al. have investigated makes the concrete work more efficiently as a
the flexural strength of coconut fiber reinforced flexural member.
corrugated slabs in the 1980s. Finally, it was
concluded that the use of coconut fibre has great
potential in the production of structural lightweight
concrete especially in the construction of low-cost
concrete structures.

III. METHODOLOGY

A concrete mix was designed to achieve the

minimum grade of M20 (by taking 1:1.5:3 as nominal
mix) as required by IS 456 – 2000. The investigation
was done by taking 3%, 5%, and 7 % (by the weight
of cement) of coconut fibre in the concrete mix.
Coconut fibres were obtained from local market.
Minimum of two test specimen were taken for each
analysis. The following tests were conducted on the
respective specimens From the graph that shows the variation of the
1. Splitting Tensile Strength on cylinder flexural strength of concrete with the change in the
2. Flexural Strength on beam fibre content, it was found that the 28th day flexural
3. Compressive Strength on cube strength of concrete goes on increasing with an
increase in the fibre content of the concrete mix. But,
IV. OBSERVATIONS & DISCUSSIONS a considerable increase in the strength is observed
only in the concrete mix with 3% fibres. After that
A. Cubes the 28th day flexural strength of the concrete with the
It was presumed that the compressive strength of mix having 5% fibre content turns out to be less than
concrete goes on decreasing with an increase in the that of the concrete mix with 0% fibre content.
fibre content of the concrete mix.
C. Cylinder
According to previous studies conducted on fibre
reinforced concrete, it was found that for 1% and 2%
fibre content there was increase in tensile strength of
concrete.

This assumption was found to be correct based on the

compressive strength test that was conducted on the
cubes with varying fibre content (0%, 3%, 5% & 7%)
Now, when the test was conducted on concrete with a
as represented graphically above. From the graph that
mix containing 3%, 5% & 7% fibres and a graph was
represents the variation in the compressive strength of
plotted representing the variation in the tensile
concrete with as well as the fibre content of the mix,
strength of concrete with the change in fibre content,
it could be seen that the 28th day compressive
it was observed that the tensile strength of concrete

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International Journal of Mechanical And Production Engineering, ISSN: 2320-2092, Volume- 3, Issue-1, Jan.-2015

goes on decreasing with an increase in the fibre 3) Admixtures can also be used to reduce the number
content of the concrete mix. D. Unusual Behaviour of voids which are formed to the present of fibres in
With 7% Fibre Content An unexpected variation in the concrete. It may help improve the strength
compressive strength of concrete with 7% fibre characteristics of concrete.
content was observed. One of the probable reasons
for the abnormal variation could be improper mixing 4) It was found that the results did not improve by
of concrete due to a high fibre content leading to a addition of fibres beyond 5% of the weight of cement
non homogeneous concrete mix. Another reason in the mix. Hence, the optimum increase in the
could be reduction in the water content due to strength of concrete by addition of fibres lies between
absorption of water by fibres improper bonding & addition of fibres between 0% and 3% of the weight
formation of air voids. of cement in the mix.

CONCLUSION REFERENCES

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