Comparative Analysis of Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Lime Concrete Blocks Made with Pigeon Pea and Carrot Grass Plants as Partial Replacement of Fine Aggregates

This paper presents a comparative analysis of the mechanical and thermal properties of two agro-waste natural fibers, pigeon pea (PP) and santa maria feverfew (SMF) based lime concretes. The specimens were tested using destructive and nondestructive testing methods. The mechanical properties were measured using a compression testing machine (C.T.M.). A non-destructive test was performed using an ultrasonic pulse velocity meter. A self-fabricated box was used to evaluate the thermal conductivities of the concrete blocks under controlled conditions with agro-waste. The results showed that the concrete blocks made with 3.45% SMF by weight has compressive strength 33.3% higher than that made with 3.45% PP fiber. The ultrasonic wave velocity was the highest in the control blocks made of plain lime concrete and the lowest in the PP fiber-based lime concrete blocks. Porosity and thermal insulation properties have been reported to be excellent in PP fiber-based concrete blocks compared with SMF fiber-based concrete blocks. Such natural fiber-based concretes, which are light weight and have better thermal resistance, can be used for the construction of non-load bearing partition walls, insulation of walls and slabs, and preparation of lean concrete.