Influence of the dosage and length of palm fibers on the mechanical properties of reinforced adobe

Adobe construction, an old-technique, is particularly relevant in desert regions characterized by hot, arid climates. This traditional building material is characterized by its remarkable environmental, thermal and economic properties, offering a sustainable solution for housing in high-temperature zones. However, despite these undeniable advantages, adobe has one major limitation: its mechanical strength, particularly its resistance to bending, requires improvement to meet the demands of modern building. In this context, our study focused on analyzing the impact of palm fiber length and dosage on the mechanical properties of adobe. A series of rigorous experiments were carried out, incorporating different fiber rates 0.25%, 0.50%, 0.75% and 1%. and lengths of 25 mm, 50 mm, 75 mm and 100 mm, in the manufacture of adobe. The aim of this methodical approach was to identify the optimum combinations for improving the material's mechanical performance. The results obtained revealed that optimal fiber dosage ranges from 0.5% to 1% by mass. In terms of fiber length, two sizes in particular proved particularly effective: 50 mm and 75 mm. The 50 mm fibers showed remarkable effectiveness in improving compressive strength, increasing it by 20%. However, 75 mm fibers had a more significant impact on flexural strength, improving it by 45% to an impressive 1.70 MPa.