Characteristics of natural sponge fibres and their effects on the properties of cement-based materials

Literature indicates that natural fibre-reinforced concrete (NFRC) can effectively serve as an alternative to conventional fibre concrete for reducing brittleness. Yet, there are limited studies on how natural sponge fibre (NSF) affects the properties of concrete. Hence, this study aims to assess the properties of reinforced concrete containing non-chemically (NonC) and NaOH (N)-treated NSF, along with their composite’s potential for structural advantage and environmental sustainability. In the experimental method, mass concrete was prepared by adding NonC and N-treated NSF in varied ratios of 0.00%, 0.75%, 1.00%, and 1.25% by mass. The impact of NonC and N-treated NSF on the physical and mechanical properties of NSFRC was evaluated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to observe the effects of treatments. It was observed that the strength and durability properties of the N-treated NSFRC composites improved; however, the workability was reduced compared to the NonC-treated NSFRC and the control concrete. The strain at peak stress (ε 2 ) of N-treated composites was more than 0.002 in conventional concrete. Also, the SEM validation supported the mechanism, which led to the results of this study. In conclusion, the strength of N-treated NSFRC makes it a potential construction material for structural advantage.