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CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND OBSERVATIONS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 2009-2010

CHAPTER 5
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND OBSERVATIONS, CONCLUSIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS

This chapter presents the summary of findings, conclusions and recommendations of the
researchers. These are based on the results gathered by the researchers.

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND OBSERVATIONS

The following observations present some of the characteristics of concrete cylinder


samples containing natural fibers and plain concrete cylinder samples during mixing and when
subjected to ultimate compressive test:

1. During the mixing process, we observed that as the fiber content increases, the faster the fresh
concrete mixture became stiffen. Its consistency lowers because the fiber absorbed the water
from the mixture.

a. When coconut coir fibers were added in the fresh concrete mixture, from 0.10% to
0.75% fiber-cement ratio, the presence of the fiber does not greatly affect the consistency
of the fresh concrete mixture although it decreases its slump values from 60mm to 36mm
which is 17% to 64% decrease in slump values.

b. Pineapple fibers have slump values of 20mm and 18mm at 0.25% and 0.75% fiber-
cement ratio respectively. Although it has lower slump values compared to the normal
concrete which has 50mm slump height, the time it takes to absorb the water present in
the mixture is longer compared to the concrete containing abaca and sugarcane bagasse.

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CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND OBSERVATIONS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 2009-2010

c. Sugarcane bagasse has the lowest slump height, ranging from 6mm to 21mm when
0.25% and 0.75% fiber-cement ratio were used. Sugarcane bagasse absorbed the water
present in the mixture in a very short period of time. Because of the water absorption
done by the sugarcane bagasse, the concrete mixture stiffens.

d. Abaca fibers have lower slump values which is 21mm and 19mm at 0.25% and 0.75%
fiber-cement ratio compared to coconut coir and pineapple fibers. Although it has lower
slump, its consistency is still within the desired range when 0.10% and 0.15% fiber-
cement ratio were used.

2. Test cylinders with higher content of fiber reduce the compressive strength of the concrete due
to the congestion of fibers. The congestion of the fiber may lead to reduce bonding and
disintegration since packing is more difficult. Eventually void is introduced into the system:

a. Specimens with coconut coir fibers decrease its compressive strength by 7.4% to 7.8%
but then it increases by 4% to 11% at fiber-cement ratio of 0.25%, 0.75%, 0.10% and
0.15% respectively.

b. From 4% to 25% increase in compressive strength at 0.10% and 0.15% fiber-cement


ratio of sugarcane bagasse, it decreases from 15.6% to 53.9% when the fiber cement ratio
of 0.25% and 0.75% were used.

c. 8.9% up to 30% was the decrease in compressive strength of concrete cylinders with
0.25% and 0.75% fiber-cement ratio of pineapple fibers.

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CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND OBSERVATIONS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 2009-2010

d. Concrete cylinders with abaca fibers also lower its compressive strength by 8.9% up to
33.7% when 0.25% and 0.75% fiber-cement ratio were used.

3. When plain concrete test cylinder was subjected to compression test, small initial cracks
formed on the surface of the test cylinder. Cracks progress abruptly and magnified at the center
of the test cylinder, followed by the shattering and bursting to failure. Failure condition is sudden
as the ultimate compressive load was attained. And when the concrete cylinders which contain
natural fibers were subjected to compression test at failure loads, the test cylinders were still
intact even when failure load was attained. Smaller cracks progressed especially with higher
amount of natural fibers, from top of cylinders towards the center. This manifest the fiber
contribution in stopping or delaying the propagation of cracks. Figure 4.5 to 4.8 shows the test
cylinders after compression test. The cylinders which contain natural fibers were still intact at
maximum compressive load; unlike with the normal concrete, it split into two after the maximum
compressive load was attained. This shows that the brittle failure of plain concrete was
transformed to semi-ductile failure with the presence of natural fibers.

4. During the compressive test, all the concrete cylinders which contain 0.15% for each natural
fiber, the average load ranges from 380 KN to 480 KN which is obviously higher than the design
load. The concrete cylinders increase its compressive strength by 4% up to 25% compared to the
normal concrete.

5. By comparison, sugarcane has the highest compressive strength among the other concrete
cylinder which contains coconut coir, abaca fiber and pineapple fiber.

CONCLUSIONS

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CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND OBSERVATIONS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 2009-2010

From the previous chapter, it can be shown that the compressive strength of concrete mixture
containing natural fibers is significantly affected by the following factors: physical and chemical
composition of natural fibers, percentage of fiber and length of fiber. Based on the results of the
experiment, the following conclusions are drawn:

1. We concluded that the concrete mixture which contains 0.10% fiber-cement ratio has the
highest consistency compared to higher fiber-cement ratio. It only means that workability
decreases with the increase of fiber content. This is due to the water absorption
characteristics of the natural fibers which absorbed water during mixing and gave low
values of slump during slump test. Also, the increase in fiber content will increase the
volume of water being absorbed by the fibers. Thus, the increase in fiber content and the
increase of water being absorbed will delay the setting time period of the concrete
compared to the concrete with lesser amount of fiber.

2. We concluded that adding natural fibers to the concrete mixture increases the
compressive strength. Even though adding natural fiber contributes to the increase in
strength, the strength does not increase linearly as the fiber content increases. In other
words, the increase in strength is only up to certain fiber content of 0.15%.

3. We concluded that the presence of natural fibers in concrete prevents or delays cracking
and transforms the brittle failure of plain concrete into gradual and ductile failure. But,
the increase in fiber content increases the volume of voids present in the composite. The
presence of voids can reduce the compacted fiber matrix mass of the composite. Thus,
0.15% fiber-cement ratio should be applied in order prevent crack formation and to
minimize the formation of voids

4. We concluded that at 0.15% fiber-cement ratio, all the specimens increase their
compressive strength which is higher by 4% to 26% compared to the normal concrete

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CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND OBSERVATIONS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 2009-2010

5. We concluded that among the natural fibers that was added in the concrete mixture in
different percentage, sugarcane has the highest compressive strength. From the design
compressive strength of 20.7Mpa, the concrete which contains 0.15% sugarcane bagasse
has the compressive strength of 26.423Mpa which is 26% higher than the desired
compressive strength.

Recommendations
The study has its own limitation and therefore, the following recommendations are made
for future studies to improve the current work:
1. To use 0.15% fiber-cement ratio to maintain the consistency and workability of the fresh
concrete mixture.
2. To use sugarcane bagasse at 0.15% fiber-cement ratio to increase the compressive
strength by 26%
3. To utilize natural fibers in concrete mix in order to prevent and delay the spread of cracks
in future construction projects.
4. To experiment more in order to validate the adequacy of 0.15% fiber-cement as an
admixture for concrete mix. Try to evaluate the fiber-cement ratio of 0.11% to 0.20%
5. To utilize sugarcane bagasse in concrete mix since it has the higher compressive strength
6. To study how to treat the natural fibers before adding in the concrete mix. It might lessen
the volume of water being absorbed by the natural fibers.

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