Reinforced concrete structures have a limited lifespan and need repair during their use. The success of the repair depends on the characteristics of the repair material and repair methods. Repair by ready-made mortar is extensively used, although these mortars are expensive and often incorporate small volumes of synthetic fibres. This article aims to develop a durable repair mortar with low environmental impact based on 1% alkaline or hydrothermal treated or untreated date palm fibers (DP) of 10 and 30 mm in length combined with 15% of slag or natural pozzolan as cement replacement material. Compressive and flexural strength, bond strength by slant shear and pull-off tests, total shrinkage, and thermal conductivity were investigated. A reduction in shrinkage and thermal conductivity were observed and an increase in bond strength following the addition of treated PD fibers. Graphical abstract

Performance of local date palm fibers in cementitious materials

This work investigates the influence of date palm and sisal fibers on the mechanical and physical behavior of lightweight concrete based on expanded clay aggregates. The choice of these fibers types is aimed at the recovery of agricultural waste in Tunisia. Their exploitation serves to improve the mechanical and physical properties of a new material dedicated to filling and insulation in buildings. In this context, series of tests were carried out using untreated short fibers in lightweight concrete. The evaluation of the mechanical and physical behavior of the material was obtained by determining the compressive strength, bending strength and thermal conductivity. The results obtained showed the influence of the fibers volume fraction. For mechanical behavior, the optimum of fibers volume fraction was estimated at 1% for lightweight concrete with date palm and sisal fibers. The thermal conductivity is inversely proportional to the fibers volume fraction, which justifies the use of this composite as a filling and insulation material.

Maher Chakhari

Papers

Optimization of the Mechanical and Physical Properties of Lightweight Concrete Reinforced with Date Palm and Sisal Fibers