PROPERTIES OF CONCRETE WITH COCONUT HUSK AND DRIED BANANA

LEAF FIBERS AS AGGREGATE REPLACEMENT INTRODUCTION RATIONALE

Man has been using fiber to reinforce building materials for thousands of years
for example mud huts using straw in the mix. Asbestos reinforcing was phased out
once its healthrisks became known. Todays fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) is a
long way advanced on mud, though. Synthetic (and even natural) fibers may be
added to the concrete mix, whether it is tobe steel reinforced, or not. A wide range of
fibers from fine steel fibers to glass andpolypropylene are used today, and new fibers
are being explored.The use of fibers is not always for structural strength purposes in
the way that we thinkof traditional steel-reinforced concrete, although they do
increase tensile and shear strengths.Modern fibers modify the properties of the
concrete in predictable, measurable but more subtleways for use in specialized
construction applications.Fibers are usually used in concrete to control cracking due
to plastic shrinkage and todrying shrinkage. They also reduce the permeability of
concrete and thus reduce bleeding of water. Some types of fibers produce
greater impact , abrasion , and shatter resistance inconcrete. Generally
fibers do not increase the flexural strength of concrete, and so cannot replace
moment resisting or structural steel reinforcement. Indeed, some
fibers actually reducethe strength of concrete.Some recent research indicated
that using fibers in concrete has limited effect on theimpact resistance of the
materials. This finding is very important since traditionally, people think that ductility
increases when concrete is reinforced with fibers. The results also indicated thatthe
use of micro fibers offers better impact resistance to that of longer
fibers.Furthermore, with the increase of infrastructure development across the world,
thedemand for construction materials also increased, resulting to the raise in the
necessity of concrete, which is a premier civil engineering construction material with
aggregates forming onthe major part.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The study was conducted in response to the requirement for the Construction
andMaterials CE415 Lab project. This study aims to find materials that are recyclable
and at thesame time, a great aggregate replacement.Specifically the researchers
seek
to
answer
the
following
questions:1. Could Coconut Husk and Dried Banana Leaves improve the strength
of the concretehollow
block?
2. If used as an aggregate replacement, could they sustain and improve solutions
on solidwaste
management?
3. Could this be a good and economical material as an aggregate for concrete ho
llowblocks?
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
According to Cheryl Torrie, an eHow Contributor, Architects and structural
engineersdesign buildings with concrete blocks (also known as concrete masonry
units, or CMUs) for a number of important properties: high structural capacity,

resistance to fire, resistance to water, variety of aesthetic possibilities and insulating

and
acoustical
advantages. As the researchers have found, according to D. Chandramohan
& K. Marimuthu, Common fiber reinforced composites are composed of
fibers and a matrix. Fibers are the reinforcement and the main source of
strength while matrix glues all the fibers together in shape and transfers stresses
between the reinforcing fibers. The fibers carry the loads along their longitudinal
directions. Sometimes, filler might be added to smooth the manufacturing process,
impact special properties to the composites, and / or reduce the product cost.
Furthermore, Banana fiber, a ligno-cellulosic fiber, obtained from the pseudo-stem
of banana plant (Musa sepientum), is a bast fiber with relatively good mechanical
properties. Thepseudo-stem is a clustered, cylindrical aggregation of leaf stalk
bases. Banana fiber at present is a waste product of banana cultivation and either
not properly utilized or partially doneso. The extraction of fiber from the pseudostem
is not a common practice and much of the stemis not used for production of fibers.
The buyers for banana fibers are erratic and there is nosystematic way to extract
the fibres regularly. Useful applications of such fibres would regularizethe
demand which would be reflected in a fall of the prices.Based from the
textileschool.com on the topic of coconut fiber, coconut fibre belongs tothe group of
hard structural fibres. It is an important commercial product obtained from the
huskof the coconut. Industries based on coir have developed in many coconut
producing countriesespecially India, Tanzania, Kenya, Bangladesh, Burma, Thailand,
Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Ghana etc
Moreover, basing from the theories mentioned, the researchers wanted to solve
theendeavor on using the fibers from the coconut husk and dried banana leaf as an
aggregatereplacement.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study will be a significant endeavor for the practical concept of building
construction materials by the use of recyclable elements that can help in the
development of future research studies on solid and agricultural waste
management, solutions for economic advancement of the country, and reference
material for students.
HYPOTHESIS
Based on the foregoing research problem, the researchers formulated the following
null hypothesis:
The materials, Dried Banana Leaf and Coconut Husk, improved the strength
anddurability of the concrete hollow block as an aggregate.

The use of Dried Banana Leaf and Coconut Husk as an aggregate

replacement lowersthe compressive and tensile strength of the concrete
hollow block and is recommended only as an aggregate additive.

SCOPE and LIMITATION

The researchers on the study of Properties Of Concrete With Coconut Husk And
DriedBanana Leaf Fibers As Aggregate Replacement would discuss on the
properties of concrete and the properties on the fibers of Coconut Husk and Dried
Banana Leaf with a background onaggregates and reinforced concrete designing.
Specific topics that the researchers would explore will include the materials
chemicalproperties and its availability in the province of Bohol having Ubujan,
Tagbilaran City and Brgy.San Roque Baclayon as the sources of location. Coconut,
Banana Trees and composite junksalong the road and households as the main
source of the materials to be used.The study will range and finish for a span of 6
months starting from June to the end of October, references will come mainly from
the web, from books on materials engineering andconcrete design, and other
research from previous students who have taken the same materialfor use on
reinforced concrete design.
The study will not exceed in discussing on the materials other uses,its economic
value,and methods of chemical extraction
http://www.scribd.com/doc/153750232/PROPERTIES-OF-CONCRETE-WITHCOCONUT-HUSK-AND-DRIED-BANANA-LEAF-FIBERS-AS-AGGREGATEREPLACEMENT