Work

A comprehensive study on the physico-mechanical properties of a sustainable mortar reinforced by waste wood fiber

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: To decrease the carbon footprint of traditional cementitious composites, recycling and reusing the waste caused by industries is now the focus of attention. The present research intends to encourage the widespread utilization of low-carbon cementitious composites. To this end, a sustainable mortar reinforced by waste wood fibers (WWF), which has not been widely studied in the construction materials area, was proposed and its physico-mechanical properties were investigated. The mortar mixes were prepared with 0.6%, 0.9% and 1.2% (% of binder) WWF. However, weak fiber-matrix interfaces are usually observed due to the hydrophilic nature of the WWF. Therefore, alkali-treatment and silica fume (SF) were applied and their effects on the properties of waste wood fiber reinforced mortar (WWFM) were explored. The WWF were treated by sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solutions with different concentrations (1%, 2.5%, 5%, and 8%) for 1 h and 2 h. Meanwhile, 8% or 15% SF was used in the mortar, to investigate the coupled effect of alkali-treatment and mineral admixture on the properties of WWFM. For the assessment of properties, flowability, compressive strength, water capillary absorption, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) tests were performed. Experimental results showed that alkali-treatment could improve the bonding property of the WWF-matrix interface effectively when a suitable concentration (2.5%) of NaOH solution was used. Three-point bending tests coupled with the digital image correlation technology were conducted on the pre-notched beams to study the mechanical performance and quantify the fracture behavior, including fracture toughness and fracture energy, of WWFM, while parameters, such as brittleness index and cracking degree were also introduced to further investigate the effect of WWF and different bonding improvement methods on the fracture performance of WWFM. The results revealed that the incorporation of WWF could significantly enhance the tensile strength and fracture properties of WWFM. Compared to the matrix improvement by adding mineral admixture, the fiber surface treatment by NaOH is more effective regarding the enhancement of the fracture performance of the proposed cementitious composites.

Source: Construction and Building Materials

DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.139928

Authors: Chen Lin, Qi Luo, Terje Kanstad, Sotirios Grammatikos, Guomin Ji

Language: English

Topic: Innovative concrete reinforcement materials

Subfield: Civil and Structural Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,540

Funders: Norges Teknisk-Naturvitenskapelige Universitet, China Scholarship Council