Study on the Engineering Properties of Lightweight Foamed Concrete Modified with Palm Stalk Fiber as an Additive

Abstract

The escalation of agricultural waste in Malaysia has emerged as a significant focal point today. Agricultural trash is typically disposed of in landfills without regard for environmental considerations. Prior studies have demonstrated that highly reactive silica-containing debris can interact with calcium hydroxide in concrete, resulting in a thick microstructure. This study examines the possible application of palm stalk fibre (PSF) as an additive in lightweight foamed concrete (LFC) to enhance its engineering properties. The assessed engineering properties include compressive strength, flexural strength, splitting tensile strength, shrinkage and ultrasonic pulse velocity. Four distinct PSF percentages of 0.15, 0.30, 0.45 and 0.60 % were utilized as additions to the LFC mix. The findings indicated that incorporating 0.45 % PSF into LFC yielded optimal outcomes for compressive strength, flexural strength, splitting tensile strength, shrinkage and ultrasonic pulse velocity of LFC. The surface roughness of PSF enhances fiber-to-matrix interfacial bonding, since a rougher surface facilitates the interlocking of SBK fibre with the matrix within the LFC cementitious matrix.