Influence of Palm Tree Fiber Addition on the Physical, Mechanical, and Thermal Properties of High-Strength Concrete

The utilization of natural fibers as reinforcement in concrete mixtures continues to gain interest due to their environmentally friendly nature, biodegradability, economic benefits, and high strength-to-weight ratio. In this study, high-strength concrete was mixed with ground palm tree frond (PTF) short fibers at different portions of fiber 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4% of concrete weight, as replacement of fine aggregate. This paper provides an in-depth experimental investigation on the effect of adding short PTF to high-strength concrete on the physical, mechanical, and thermal characteristics of concrete. The findings indicated that the strength of the concrete deteriorated progressively with the increased addition of PTF. For instance, the compressive strength of 4% PTF concrete was 28.18 MPa, and 43.81 MPa for plain concrete. On the other hand, the split tensile strength for 4% PTF concrete and plain concrete were 2.42 MPa and 2.99 MPa, respectively. However, it was observed that, despite the decrease in strength, the thermal resistance of the concrete notably increased with the addition of PTF. The inclusion of 4% PTF in concrete reduced heat transfer rates significantly by 51.19% and 39.87% compared to plain concrete in wet and dry conditions, respectively. The maximum surface temperature recorded for 4% PTF after 30 min of heat exposure of 275 W was 33.47 degrees C versus 39.47 degrees C for plain concrete in a dry condition. The thermal conductivity of 4% PTF concrete was reduced by approximately 21% compared to plain concrete. Incorporating short PTF in concrete yielded excellent thermal insulation properties, which can be an attractive choice for construction materials as a potential for energy saving and energy efficiency improvement.