Graduate Program
Technology
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Semester of Degree Completion
Summer 2024
Thesis Director
Isaac Slaven
Thesis Committee Member
Mahmoud Al-Odeh
Thesis Committee Member
David Viertel
Abstract
The construction industry is known to be globally the number one contributor to greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and energy consumption. The purpose of this study is to examine the potential use of hemp as a concrete reinforcement, its mechanical properties and strength, its environmental and socio-economic advantages, and its limitations. To examine the mechanical performance of hemp fiber, 54 specimens will be tested for compressive, tensile, and flexural strength. This was done in two parts. In the first part hemp fibers in two different ratios (0.5v% and 1v%), and two different treatments (water and 5% sodium hydroxide) were added to the concrete mix to test their effect on the reinforcement of non-load bearing structures. Meanwhile in the second part, hemp rebars, which is a recent innovation, were embedded into the concrete and tested. The results were then compared to steel reinforced concrete to determine if this new sustainable material is suitable for load bearing structures.
The results showed great potential for using hemp fiber to enhance the mechanical performance of concrete. The optimum condition to increase the mechanical performance of the concrete for non-load bearing structures is adding 0.5v% of hemp fibers treated with sodium hydroxide to the mix. The specimens of this group have yielded the highest increase in compressive strength by 36%, tensile strength by 461.5%, and flexural strength by 90%. For the load-bearing structures, reinforcing concrete with hemp rebars led to a higher compressive strength of 47% compared to the control group, while reinforcing it with steel rebar led to an increase of 15.3%. On the other hand, the split tensile and flexural strength were higher in concrete specimens with steel reinforcement than those with hemp rebars. The results showed a significant increase of 209.5% in split tensile strength for concrete specimens reinforced with hemp rebars and an increase of 316.5% for the ones that were. The increase in the flexural strength of the concrete with steel reinforcement reached 480.2%, while the concrete specimens with hemp rebar reinforcement increased by 264.4%.
Keywords: Hemp fibers, green-concrete, concrete reinforcement, sustainable materials.
Recommended Citation
Baassou, Hamida, "Effects of Hemp Fibers on the Mechanical Performance of Concrete" (2024). Masters Theses. 5053.
https://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/5053
