Concrete Blocks Reinforced with Arundo donax Natural Fibers with Different Aspect Ratios for Application in Bioarchitecture

Abstract

In recent decades, the construction industry has advanced in its use of natural green resources, such as vegetable fibers (e.g., flax, hemp, jute, etc.) added in concrete mixtures, to create building materials that are both economically and environmentally sustainable. The pricing, low energy cost, and environmental sustainability of these natural fibers are driving this interest. The quantity of fibers and the ratio of fiber length to its transverse diameter (aspect ratio) are critical characteristics that have a decisive impact on concrete’s mechanical qualities. The influence of the aspect ratio of Arundo donax fibers on the tensile characteristics of concrete blocks was specifically investigated in this study. These fibers were collected from the outer section of the stem of this plant, which grows commonly in Mediterranean locations, but that is also found all over the world. Experiments were carried out on cylindrical concrete blocks with a constant amount of fiber (1 percent by weight) and different aspect ratios: 30, 50, and 70 (mm/mm) respectively, to assess their tensile strength, even when compared with concrete blocks without any fiber addition. Tensile tests on Arundo donax fibers were also conducted, with the aim to contribute to the analysis of their interaction with cementitious matrices, and to assess differences between the various compositions. The results showed a direct impact of the aspect ratio on the final tensile strength of concrete blocks, with higher aspect ratios producing superior tensile properties.

Agroecology Implemented Through Biosystems Engineering Techniques for Rural Landscape Protection

“…Farm buildings, have been investigated by scientific researches related to the valorisation of traditional material for architectural solutions (Picuno P., 2016), the development of new bio-materials (Castronuovo et al, 2015), etc. Several studies have discussed the materials and architectural solutions to use in green building, such as the research conducted by Manniello et al (2022), that analyzed the structural performance of a plant -considered as a weed, for urban and rural areas, such as Arundo donax L. -when used to lighten concrete bricks, showing positive results in mechanical tests (Fig. 2).…”

Geopolymeric Composites Containing Industrial Waste Reinforced with Arundo donax Fibers

“…Consequently, it shows good mechanical properties (elastic modulus of about 40 GPa [35]) provided by the cellulose fraction, even if lower than those of some species of bamboo, and a reduced hydrophilicity on account of the reduced hemicellulose content. So far, Arundo has been employed in the formulation of polymer matrix composites (both thermosetting, i.e., epoxy, polyester and thermoplastics such as PE, PP and polylactic acid (PLA)) [34,[36][37][38][39] but its use in inorganic matrix has still to be thoroughly investigated.…”

Sustainable Approach of Using Arundo donax Leaves Reinforced Cement Mortar/Fly Bottom Ash Composites

“…Arundo donax is a common plant with a strong potential as a long-term structural plant. Many authors focus on using Arundo donax leaves in the building sector , mainly to obtain particleboards − and concrete block ,− or epoxy resin reinforcement.…”

“…Shon et al 23 found that when ADL fibers were mixed with cement mortars, the thermal conductivity and density of the concrete diminished. Manniello et al 24 tested the tensile strength of cylindrical concrete blocks at a constant amount of ADL fibers (1 wt %) and different aspect ratios of 30, 50, and 70 (mm/mm). They found that larger aspect ratios generate better tensile qualities of concrete composites.…”