SISAL

About: SISAL is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 1878 publications have been published within this topic receiving 55528 citations.

Smart Wall Incorporating a New Composite Based on Sisal Fiber and Phase Change Material

Abstract: The building sector has a significant potential for improving thermal performance and reducing ecological footprint. An effective design of the building envelope and structure, along with appropriate choice of materials and construction systems, can contribute to decreased energy consumption. In this study, we focus on the development of an innovative composite material called ‘SLNT-PCM’, which combines a phase change material (PCM) with a textile-based material, with the aim of achieving thermal comfort in buildings. To evaluate the thermal behavior of the ‘SLNT-PCM’ composites, numerical simulations were conducted. The results, including temperature contours in different configurations, confirmed the beneficial effect of integrating PCM in the wall structure for stabilizing the internal temperature of the wall. This study contributes to the understanding of the potential of ‘SLNT-PCM’ composites for enhancing thermal performance in buildings and reducing energy consumption. The results showed that the integration of PCM in the wall structure led to a considerable gradient of 6°C between the inside and outside temperature, with the interior temperature stabilized at a comfortable zone of 26°C. This significant improvement in thermal performance is attributed to the efficient combination of natural and ecological insulation with microcapsules of PCM in the composite material.

An Experimental Investigation on Suitability of Using Sisal Fibers in Reinforced Concrete Composites

Abstract: Fiber reinforcement is widely used in construction engineering to improve the mechanical properties of concrete such as compressive and tensile strengths. Concrete is strong in compression but weak in tension and is a brittle material. In the construction industry, strength, durability and cost are among the major factors for selecting the suitable construction materials. During this investigation, the mechanical properties of sisal fibers reinforced concrete (SFRC) were assessed namely, flexural strength, tensile strength ad interfacial bond strength. The said properties were assessed in two types of reinforcement namely, randomly oriented sisal fibers and parallel oriented sisal fibers reinforcement. In both cases the sisal fibers were varied in volume fractions so as to establish the optimum value. The mechanical properties of flexural and tensile strengths were found to increase considerably with increasing fiber volume fractions until an optimum volume fraction is reached, thereafter, the strengths were found to decrease continuously. The prominent increment of 32.4% in flexural strength at fiber volume fraction of 2.0% parallel reinforced fiber concrete composite was observed. There was very small increment on both flexural and tensile strength for randomly oriented chopped sisal fibers reinforced concrete (SFRC). The Interfacial bond strength was found to be 0.12 N/mm 2 and was observed to be prominent for chopped sisal fibers reinforced concrete specimens tested for flexural strength. During failure, fiber pull-out was observed and the composite was observed to behave in a ductile manner whereby the fibers were able to carry more load while full fracture had occurred on the specimen. The water absorption capacity of the SFRC was found to increase with increasing sisal fiber volume fraction.

Employment of Sisal Natural Fibers as Soil Reinforcement

Abstract: The use of natural fibers as a reinforcement for soils is a technique known for a long time by humanity. This practice has a great performance as a reinforcement material for has a high tensile strength, promoting improvement in the mechanical properties of the soils, conferring gain of mechanical resistance and reduction of his compressibility. The performance of the mechanical behavior of clay-silt soil at the Brasilia Landfill, Brazil is analyzed by reinforcing the soil with natural sisal fibers with lengths of 75, 50, and 25 mm for a 0.5% fiber content of the total volume of dry soil. The aim to finding the optimal fiber length for the analyzed percentage. The mechanical strength conferred to the soil when applying such reinforcement is analyzed using the California Bearing Ratio and simple compression tests, and the results are compared with those obtained in natural soil. The plastic deformation and the reduction of the voids index are analyzed through the consolidation tests for each sample. The 75 mm sisal fiber was expected to be more viable for the reinforced soil, but it presents great difficulty of homogenization with the soil and high agglomeration of the fibers, making it difficult to evaluate. However, the 50 mm fiber presented higher mechanical strength and greater readiness for homogenization with the soil for the 0.5% content analyzed.

Paintable cloth based on plant fibers

Abstract: A paintable cloth includes a woven fabric including plant fibers, especially flax, jute, ramie and/or sisal fibers, the woven fabric additionally being coated with a finish.