Mechanical Properties of Cement Paste Reinforced with Palmyra Fiber

Abstract

This research aims to study the probability of using cement paste reinforced with Palmyra fiber to improve the engineering properties of cement paste. The cement pastes were reinforced with Palmyra fiber at    2, 4, 6 and 8 cm long for replacing at 10, 20 and 30% by weight of cement. The water cement ratio (W/C) of 0.44 was use for all mixes contained in the mould size 100x100x100 mm for compressive strength and density tests at the curing age of 7, 14 and 28 days. The cement paste was reinforced with Palmyra fiber at 35 cm long for replacing at 10, 20 and 30% by weight of cement. The water cement ratio (W/C) of 0.44 was use for all mixes contained in the mould size 400x100x20 mm for flexural strength and density test. All of the data were compared with original paste. The results showed that, the increase in length and content of Palmyra fiber, when it was reinforced in cement paste causes the compressive strength and density to decrease by the compressive strength was reduced to 35.3% and density was reduced to 5%. On the contrary, the increase of Palmyra fiber, when it was reinforced in cement paste cause to flexural strength to increase by the flexural strength was increase to 38.9%. Due to the Palmyra fiber as contribute bonding material, it causes the cement paste reinforced with Palmyra fiber can be ductile material while the some parts of cement paste was cracked. In addition, found that the long curing age was affected to the compressive strength and density were increased too.