Performance of Concrete Reinforced with Recycled Polypropylene Fibers from Raffia Bags

The significant generation of urban solid waste by the construction sector demands strategies to mitigate its environmental impacts. This study investigated the use of polypropylene (PP) fibers from raffia bags, repurposed as reinforcement in concrete. Thermal and spectroscopic analyses were performed to characterize the recycled fibers. For the concrete, the tests included axial compressive strength, flexural tensile strength, Slump Test, and capillary water absorption. Four different concrete mixes were evaluated, one as reference and three others incorporating 0.3% by weight of different recycled PP fibers, relative to the cement mass. Incorporating recycled PP fibers into the concrete mix led to an enhancement in tensile strength by up to 15.56%, alongside a reduction in water absorption by 7.81%. However, no significant improvement in compressive strength was observed. The results indicated the potential of recycled PP fibers as reinforcement for concrete, although further studies are needed to determine the optimal addition percentage.