Use of Sisal Fiber and construction and demolition waste in concrete block production in Tanzania

Abstract

Sisal Fibre (SF)are natural (biological) and locally available materials in Tanzania. This materials have
been also acknowledged to be used in concrete technology. However, most of existing studies in concrete
technology are focused on beam, soil, and composite reinforcement and all have focused on tension. Thus,
knowledge on use of SF on improving compressive strength of building materials like concrete blocks
especially those recycled from construction and demolition (C&D) waste is still limited. This study aimed
at investigating the extent to which the SF can be applied in concrete mix and their effects on the
production of concrete blocks that use recycled C&D waste in order to meet structural and durability
requirements according to Tanzanian standards. SF was physically and chemically tested and analysed in
the laboratory to investigate its quality prior to using it in building material production processes. Then, the
produced building materials, such as concrete blocks from recycled C&D waste were tested and analysed
following standard methods. The results showed that SF had cementations properties which can contribute
to hydration process and therefore improve the quality of the concrete produced like those produced from
recycled aggregates. Further results showed that SF have ability to enhance the quality of the recycled
concrete blocks that were produced using 100% recycled aggregates from C&D waste to meet the load
bearing requirements in the Tanzanian construction industry. Therefore, SF can be used as an additive
material for improving the quality of concrete blocks produced from C&D waste rather than relying on
imported and synthetic additives like super-plasticizer admixtures which put quite some strain on the
country’s economic situation. However, further research is needed to investigate the impact of organic
composition present to the SF in the produced concrete products.

Keywords: SF, C&D waste, concrete blocks, recycling, quality