GRD Journals- Global Research and Development Journal for Engineering | Volume 5 | Issue 7 | June 2020 ISSN- 2455-5703
To Enhance the Properties of Concrete Mixed with Chopped Coir Fibers Neeraj Kumar Sharma Research Scholar
S. Gurbachan Singh Professor Department of Civil Engineering Institute of Engineering and Computer Sciences, Jammu
Abstract The mechanical properties of concrete can be enhanced by using coir fibers .Fibers have the property to enhance the toughness of concrete. In this research work the compressive strength test, split tensile strength test, flexural strength test were performed. The ratio of the coir fibers in concrete is varied from 0% to 7%. The test result shows that the strength increases from 20% to 30 % in comparison with concrete without fibers. The coir fibers are obtainable in abundance, which makes it quite variable as reinforcing materials in concrete. The research work shows that the result of the compression test indicates that the present of (coconut fibers) fibers tends to reduce the compressive strength at higher fibers contents there is improvement in ductility after cracking of concrete. Similarly flexural strength of coir fibers (CFRC) reinforced concrete is directly proportional to coir fibers content and inversely proportional to the water cement ratio. Also split tensile strength characteristics increases up to a certain percentage beyond which strength characteristics decreases. The research work shows that concrete mixed with coir fibers can be used in sewers, slabs, pavements and many more construction site as reinforcing materials. Keywords- Coir Fibers, Toughness, Compression and Tensile Strengths, Flexural Strength, Apparent Specific Gravity
I. INTRODUCTION Concrete is most widely used construction materials all over the world. With the advancement in science and technology the large scale use of concrete is taking place with new innovations and techniques. Since the concrete is weak in tension and flexure, mostly it is reinforced with steel bars. However the usage of steel reinforcement is expensive which is not affordable for all types of works. So, considerable efforts have been made worldwide to add various types of natural fibers to concrete. The natural fibers such as coir fibers, jute fibers, rice husk, bamboo fibers, saw dust etc and many more fibers have certain physical and mechanical characteristics that can be utilized effectively in the development of fibers reinforced concrete (FRC). Fibers have the property to control cracking more effectively due to their tendency to be more closely spaced than conventional reinforcing steel bars. Coir fibers are one of the most popular types of fibers used as concrete reinforcement. Such type of fibers being the most ductile among the all types of natural fibers has the potential to be used as reinforcing materials in concrete. The concrete containing cement, water, fine aggregates (sand), course aggregates and discontinuous coir fibers are called fibers reinforced concrete. Coir fibers (CFRC) reinforced concrete is composite material having fibers as the additional ingredients, dispersed uniformly at random in small percentage by weight in plain cement concrete (P.C.C). Fibers reinforced concrete products are manufactured by adding coir fibers to the ingredients of concrete in the mixture and by transferring the green concrete into mould; the product is then compacted and curing is carried out by conventional method.
Fig. 1: Chopped Coir Fibers
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