Abstract
EFFECTS OF OIL PALM MESOCARP FIBRES ON THE PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CEMENT STABILIZED COMPRESSED EARTH BRICKS
Noubissie Tchoko Romuald Loic*, Yakum Reneta Nafu, Betene Ebanda Fabien, Tatah Fabiola Kewir and Foba Josepha Tendo
ABSTRACT
This work aimed to investigate the effect of oil palm mesocarp fibres (OPMF) on physical and mechanical properties of cement-stabilized compressed earth bricks. Fibres were pretreated with warm water at 100°C diluted with 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4% (S1, S2, S3 and S4) Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to eliminate residual oil and then oven dried at 105°C for 24 hours. Soil was stabilized with 10% cement by mass reinforced with fibres. Six different samples formulation of ten each were made with fibres content of 0%, 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, 2%, and 2.5% using a mold of size (70×70×70)mm3 and (160×40×40)mm3 for compressive and flexural strengths respectively, then cured for 7,14and 28days. The compressive and flexural strengths were highest at 28days of curing for composites with 2% fibres composition and S2 pretreatment with 2.4MPa and 2.3MPa respectively. For S1 to S4 pretreated fibres, composites showed highest densities at 7days for 0% fibres composite. Soil was observed to have a moisture content, liquid limit, plastic limit, organic content, and specific gravity of 27.1%, 51.8%, 26.7%, 12.26% and 2.44% respectively. Fibres were observed to have a lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose, and hollocellulose contents of 15.8%, 46%, 14.73%, 60.73% respectively. Water absorption composites rates for 2.5% fibres were observed to decrease from 13.2% and 11.5% for S1 to S4 respectively after 8hours of samples saturation. Hence S2 and 2% fibres inclusion had the highest mechanical and good physical properties for building.
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