Effectiveness of new natural fibers on damage-mechanical performance of mortar

• Published in: Construction & building materials Vol. 152; pp. 672 - 682
• Main Authors: Araya-Letelier, G., Antico, F.C., Carrasco, M., Rojas, P., García-Herrera, C.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 15.10.2017
• Subjects: Animal fiber; Damage mitigation; Fiber-reinforced mortar; Mechanical properties; Mechanical properties; Fiber-reinforced mortar; Damage mitigation; Animal fiber
• ISSN: 0950-0618; 1879-0526
• DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2017.07.072

[Display omitted] •Pig hair is morphologically, physically and mechanically characterized.•Addition of pig hair to mortar controlled plastic and drying shrinkage cracking.•Impact strength increased with the incorporation of pig hair.•Mass loss due to surface abrasion is reduced.•Pig hair could work as potential replacement of polypropylene fibers. Addition of fibers to cement-based materials improve tensile and flexural strength, fracture toughness, abrasion resistance, delay cracking, and reduce crack widths. Natural fibers have recently become more popular in the construction materials community. This investigation addresses the characterization of a new animal fiber (pig hair), a massive food-industry waste worldwide, and its use in mortars. Morphological, physical and mechanical properties of pig hair are determined in order to be used as reinforcement in mortars. A sensitivity analysis on the volumes of fiber in mortars is developed. The results from this investigation showed that reinforced mortars significantly improve impact strength, abrasion resistance, plastic shrinkage cracking, age at cracking, and crack widths as fiber volume increases. Other properties such as compressive and flexural strength, density, porosity and modulus of elasticity of reinforced mortars are not significantly affected by the addition of pig hair.