Influence of Controlled Fiber Orientation on the Mechanical and Microstructural Properties of Cellulose Excelsior–Cement Composites
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This study investigates the influence of controlled fiber orientation on the mechanical and microstructural properties of cellulose excelsior fiber cementitious composites with an excelsior content of 75% by volume. Two different sets of composites were fabricated. In one set, no effort was made to orient the fibers, while in the other set fibers were preferentially aligned through manual placement and compressive consolidation. The mechanical performance, including elastic modulus and flexural strength, was evaluated. The internal structure, specifically porosity and 3D fiber orientation, was quantified using X-ray Computed Tomography (XCT) and subsequent 3D image analysis. The results demonstrate that the composites with aligned fibers exhibited a 20% higher bulk density and a significantly lower porosity (5.1%) compared to the non-aligned composites (9.0%), representing a 43% reduction in void volume. Further image analysis showed distinct differences in fiber orientation relative to the axis of the specimen. These different distributions led to a 120% increase in elastic modulus and a 58% increase in flexural strength. These results demonstrate how, within limits, the mechanical properties of the composite system can be controlled to meet application demands.
Source: Applied Sciences
DOI: 10.3390/app16178416
Authors: Maedeh Orouji, Eric N. Landis
Institution: University of Maine
Language: English
Subfield: Civil and Structural Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,896
OpenAlex ID: W7204071240