Development of bio composite concrete panels and performance comparison with conventional and advanced panels

Abstract

Conventional reinforced concrete uses steel rebars However steel reinforcement is still expensive for many people who want to build earthquake resistant houses To overcome the difficulty an economical but safe constructional material is needed Natural fibres can be one possible material as they are cheap and locally available in many countries In this work rope made of coir fibre is used as replacement to steel rebars in Coir Fibre Reinforced Concrete CFRC slabs Natural fibres are prospective reinforcing materials and their use until now has been more traditional than technical They have long served many useful purposes but the application of materials technology for the utilization of natural fibres as the reinforcement in concrete has only taken place in comparatively recent years The distinctive properties of natural fibre reinforced concretes are improved tensile and bending strength greater ductility and greater resistance to cracking and hence improved impact strength and toughness