Mechanical properties of geopolymer composites reinforced with natural fibers

Geopolymer composites have recently become a promising ecological alternative to the traditional cementitious materials. They are cost-effective, environmentally friendly and their production involves relatively small amount of energy. They have also good compressive strength, durability and thermal properties being highly resistant to flame and heat. However, these composites have relatively low tensile and flexural strength, which limits their use in many areas. This paper describes the mechanical properties of the geopolymer based on fly ash and reinforced with short natural fibers such as cotton, sisal, raffia and coconut. The study is intended to analyze the influence of addition of various natural fibers on the mechanical properties of the geopolymer. The empirical part of the research was based on the compressive strength tests, flexural strength tests and detailed microstructure examination. The results show that the appropriate addition of natural fibers can improve the mechanical properties of geopolymer composites. (C) 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license.