Durability characteristics of plantain pseudo-stem fibre concrete exposed to sulphate environment
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Date
2025
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Department of Building, Obafemi Awolowo University.
Abstract
This study investigated the effect of plantain pseudo-stem fibre concrete on the compressive strength, tensile strength and water absorption of concrete exposed to sulphate environment. These were with a view to assessing the suitability of plantain pseudo-stem fibre as a potential additional construction material to improve concrete durability, particularly under exposure to sulphate environment. Preliminary tests including particle size determination and specific gravity were carried out on samples of the research materials according to BS EN9331:1997, BS EN1097-6:2000 respectively. The plantain pseudo-stem fibre was extracted from plantain stem after the fruit was cut off and was soaked in water and fibre was extracted manually by wooden surface and mallet and then sundried. They were chopped into uniform sizes and the nominal proportion of concrete ingredients of 1:2:4 (cement:sand:granite) was adopted and mixed with plantain pseudo-stem fibres at 1%, 2%, 3% and 4% weight of cement and 100 x 100 mm cubes were produced and cured up to 28 days. Compressive, tensile and water absorption were measured at 3, 7, 14 and 28 days according to BS EN 12390:2003 concrete at 28 days and at 1 and 2% exposed to MgSO4. Data obtained was analysed using graphical illustrations, means, percentages, regression analysis and Analysis of Variance. The results showed that the compressive strength of concrete containing plantain pseudo-stem fibre increased with increase in plantain pseudo-stem fibre content at 1% and 2% but decreased when exposed to aggressive sulphate of MgSO4 at 3% to 4% weight of cement, and the compressive strength was decreased at 2% percentage of PPF compare to unreinforced sample. At 3 days curing ages and at 2% MgSO4 exposure, the compressive strength at 0% and 1% PPF were 8.69 N/mm2 and 9.42 N/mm2 as against that of unreinforced sample of 8.93 N/mm2 while the concrete mixes with 3% and 4% were 7.82 N/mm2 and 6.99 N/mm2, at 7 to 28 days there was decrease in compressive strength at 1% to 4% PPF content and at 1% and 2% MgSO4 xiii exposure compared to unexposed sample. The tensile strength of specimen at 3days exposure and at 1% and 4% content, the concrete specimens suffered a loss of 4.95% and 58.91% in 2% MgSO4 concentration respectively. At 7days exposure, the same specimen experienced a loss of 7.76% and 80.58% in 2% MgSO4 concentration respectively compared to specimen stored in water. Also, the water absorption increased for all the percentage of PPF content and for all the MgSO4 concentration solution, whereas at 7days exposure, the specimen experienced a higher of 4.02% and 3.42% in 2% concentration respectively. The study concluded that there was reduction in durability of plantain pseudo-stem fibre concrete when exposed to magnesium sulphate at 1% and 2% concentration.
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xiv, 96p.
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Citation
Abdullahi, A. L.(2025). Durability characteristics of plantain pseudo-stem fibre concrete exposed to sulphate environment, Department of Building, Faculty of Environmental Design and Management