Incorporation of waste from the production of sisal fibers into mortar: Effects on physical and mechanical properties

ABSTRACT

In the civil construction industry, current alternatives are sought to mitigate the impacts caused to the environment. An alternative that is taking place in recent years concerns the use of vegetable fibers, which among the various types it is possible to highlight those from sisal, which have a strong socioeconomic relevance to the Northeastern semiarid. Given this importance, the present study aimed to analyze the effects on the physical and mechanical properties that the processing from wastes arising from the sisal fibers production promotes in mortar. It is an experimental and quantitative study, divided into three stages: theoretical and conceptual survey; characterization of sisal fiber, aggregate and binder; and destructive and non-destructive experimentation of the cementitious compound. About to the mortar consistency with addition of fiber, it can be seen that the filament ends up acting as a network that retains the particles of aggregates of greater granulometry, thus segregating a paste basically formed by cement and water. Regarding the compressive strength and elasticy modulus, the specimens plus fiber residues showed a reduction when compared to those exempt from it, with a probable cause of a failure in compaction due to the presence of the fiber. In counterpart, there was a 60% gain in tensile strength was observed at 28 days when the fiber was added, as it acts by distributing the stress throughout the part, delaying the cracking process and consequently breaking the structure.

Keywords
cementitious composites; waste; sustainability