Obonyo, E (2012) Developing enhanced, lignocellulosic fibre reinforcement for low-cost, cementitious, construction materials. Architectural Engineering and Design Management, 8(1), pp. 30-41. ISSN 1745-2007
Abstract
The research reported in this article is based on an NSF (National Science Foundation) project aimed at advancing the structural use of earth-based technologies through addressing durability concerns within the hot and humid context. This article focuses on one aspect of the research directed at developing an enhanced, lignocellulosic fibre-reinforced, cementitious composite. In this research, soil–cement masonry is the cementitious matrix and coconut fibre (coir) the natural fibre. In the case study context, this cementitious composite is highly susceptible to physical damage due to intense rainfall and chemical deterioration that can be linked to the hydration of cement. The use of natural fibres, such as coir, compounds this problem. For the research to adequately address durability concern problems, accurate empirical data quantifying the damage to the natural fibre-reinforced cementitious composite are required. The discussion identifies the key knowledge gaps. It also describes the methodology adopted to produce and test the cementitious bricks investigated in the research. In addition to summarizing the main physical and mechanical properties, the findings presented in this article also (i) establish the bricks' resistance to wind-driven rain erosion and (ii) characterize the performance of the units on the basis of hydration-triggered chemical deterioration that can be expected in cement-stabilized earthen bricks. The article ends with a discussion of the key findings and a description of further research activities.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | cementitious materials; lignocellulosic fibres; low-cost construction; natural fillers |
| Index terms: | case study, composite, rainfall, deterioration, science, mechanical property, durability, fibre reinforcement, construction material, methodology, wind-driven rain |
| Subjects: | material degradation and durability, building materials, specialized education, materials science, climate science, data collection methods, material properties and characteristics, traditional and composite building materials, research methods |
| Topics: | Education, Construction Materials, Engineering Principles, Research Practice, Sustainability |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTE |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here