Techno Press
Techno Press

Structural Engineering and Mechanics
  Volume 90, Number 2, April25 2024 , pages 107-116
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12989/sem.2024.90.2.107
 


Mechanical properties of coconut fiber-reinforced coral concrete
Cunpeng Liu, Fatimah De'nan, Qian Mo, Yi Xiao and Yanwen Wang

 
Abstract
    This study examined the changes in the mechanical properties of coral concrete under different coconut fiber admixtures. To accomplish this goal, the compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, flexural strength and elastic modulus properties of coral concrete blocks reinforced with coconut fibers were measured. The results showed that the addition of coconut fiber had little effect on the cube and axial compressive strengths. With increasing coconut fiber content, the flexural strength and splitting tensile strength of the concrete changed substantially, first by increasing and then by decreasing, with maximum increases of 36.0% and 12.8%, respectively; additionally, the addition of coconut fibers resulted in a failure type with some ductility. When the coconut fiber-reinforced coral concrete was 7 days old, it reached approximately 74% of its maximum strength. The addition of coconut fiber did not affect the early strength of the coral concrete mixed with seawater. When the amount of coconut fiber was no more than 3 kg/m3, the resulting concrete elastic modulus decreased only slightly from that of a similar concrete without coconut fiber, and the maximum decrease was 5.4%. The optimal dose of coconut fiber was 3 kg/m3 in this study.
 
Key Words
    coconut fiber; concrete; coral; elastic modulus; mechanical properties
 
Address
Cunpeng Liu: School of Civil Engineering, Engineering Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Nibong Tebal, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia; Department of Civil and Surveying Engineering, Guilin University of Technology at Nanning, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang, China
Fatimah De'nan: School of Civil Engineering, Engineering Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Nibong Tebal, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Qian Mo: Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering, Guangxi Transport Vocational and Technical College, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang, China
Yi Xiao: School of Civil Engineering, Engineering Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Nibong Tebal, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Yanwen Wang: Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering, Guangxi Transport Vocational and Technical College, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang, China
 

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