Effect of Burlap on the Mechanical and Microstructural Properties of Burlap Fiber Reinforced Concrete

Abstract

Abstract This study investigated the impact of burlap fibers on the workability and mechanical properties of concrete. Five different levels of burlap fiber content were tested, and it was found that all fiber contents in the range of 0.1 to 0.85% (wt.) can produce fresh workable concrete. The fiber content had no significant effect on the compressive strength but had a significant effect on the tensile strength and water absorption capacity of the C25 concrete. Among the different concentrations tested, 0.6% (wt.) burlap fibers exhibited the best performance. The results of the permeability test and microstructural analysis of the images further confirmed that a fiber content of 0.6% (wt.) can ensure stronger and more durable concretes. Therefore, it is recommended to use 0.6% burlap fiber to enhance the tensile strength significantly (by approximately + 3.8% relative to the control) while maintaining similar compressive strength and water absorption capacity as conventional C25 concrete.