Lightweight Foam Blocks with Natural Fibre

The development of technology is a widely accepted one for those who are eager to create changes in the environment. Emerging technology leads to furnishing more materials and equipment’s to the construction industry, but it has paved the way for overrun cost. There is lot of chances to pollute the environment by using these advanced materials, so the utilization of eco-friendly materials will develop a better world to live in. Natural fibres possess the highest tensile strength, especially kenaf fibre. Incorporation of these fibres in light weight foamed concrete intensifies its mechanical properties. This project explains the manufacture of light weight foam blocks with natural fibres. The cement, fly ash, Slaked Lime, Foaming Agent and water is mixed in ratio 1:0.67:0.042:0.024:0.55 with different percentages of kenaf fibres (0%, 0.4%, 0.5% by volume of fraction of concrete). Foamed concrete can be produced with dry densities of 400 to 1600 kg/m3. Kenaf fibres possess greater tensile property, flexural strength and impact strength. The use of natural fibres as composites are light weight, possess lower density, reasonably strong, ecofriendly and free from health hazards, easy availability and cost effective. The use of light weight foam blocks with natural fibres has several benefits such as it limits the number of blocks needed for the construction as the size of the lightweight blocks is 600 x 200mm and so it consumes less time compared to brick and the construction time is 20 times faster than bricks. The expected results will be light weight foam blocks with kenaf fibres of percentage ranges of 0%, 0.4%, 0.5% shows higher strength characteristics than control mix of normal light weight foamed concrete.