PSI - Issue 55

Available online at www.sciencedirect.com Available online at www.sciencedirect.com ScienceDirect Structural Integrity Procedia 00 (2023) 000 – 000

www.elsevier.com/locate/procedia

ScienceDirect ScienceDirect

Procedia Structural Integrity 55 (2024) 206–213 Structural Integrity Procedia 00 (2023) 000 – 000

www.elsevier.com/locate/procedia

2452-3216 © 2024 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of the ESICC 2023 Organizers 10.1016/j.prostr.2024.02.027 2452-3216 © 2024 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of the ESICC 2023 Organizers 2452-3216 © 2024 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of the ESICC 2023 Organizers Abstract This research aimed to design a low-cost fibre concrete as an alternative to earth-concrete reinforced with biomaterial fibres, where the latter is characterized by mechanical defects such as low strength, water degradation and air erosion, as well as the continuous deformation related to the self-compression and unlimited subsidence of the bearing surface soil. The designed concrete is composed of fine sand, cement at small quantities and polypropylene fibre available on the daily market. This material is easy to form due to the availability of fine sand in nature and the possibility of its production without much skill. At the same time, it is made at a low cost and short implementation time, unlike earth concrete where it needs time to dry and acquire the appropriate strength. Laboratory work has shown good results as the light density, the large ductility, and an acceptable strength capacity of this material. Keywords: Earth concrete ; Sandy concrete; Macro polypropylene fiber; Concrete strength; Workability; Ductility. 1. Introduction From the beginning of human civilization man has found in natural caves his refuge to protect himself from climate change and animal threats (Jahren 2018). The second leg of the civilization trip was the exploration of natural materials to build its habitat; Thus, man has used the natural materials available in his environment to meet his safety, and family and social obligations (Sparavigna 2011). Hence, from the mud he designed the earth-concrete to build his habitat and his house of worship where earth-concrete is used mainly to form load-bearing walls. However, the poor performance of this material forced the builder to adopt relatively large thicknesses to achieve the structural objectives. At an advanced time, and before the appearance of firebrick, man introduced the fibre of plants to treat the defects of this natural composite material (Sparavigna 2014). Admittedly, this material was characterized by an * Corresponding author. Tel.: +963-944-260-878. E-mail address: a-rahma@aiu.edu.sy * Corresponding author. Tel.: +963-944-260-878. E-mail address: a-rahma@aiu.edu.sy ESICC 2023 – Energy efficiency, Structural Integrity in historical and modern buildings facing Climate change and Circularity Fine sandy concrete reinforced with polypropylene fibre for rural and desert housing Afif Rahma a* a Arab International University, Ghabaghib, Daraa Governorate, Syria ESICC 2023 – Energy efficiency, Structural Integrity in historical and modern buildings facing Climate change and Circularity Fine sandy concrete reinforced with polypropylene fibre for rural and desert housing Afif Rahma a* a Arab International University, Ghabaghib, Daraa Governorate, Syria Abstract This research aimed to design a low-cost fibre concrete as an alternative to earth-concrete reinforced with biomaterial fibres, where the latter is characterized by mechanical defects such as low strength, water degradation and air erosion, as well as the continuous deformation related to the self-compression and unlimited subsidence of the bearing surface soil. The designed concrete is composed of fine sand, cement at small quantities and polypropylene fibre available on the daily market. This material is easy to form due to the availability of fine sand in nature and the possibility of its production without much skill. At the same time, it is made at a low cost and short implementation time, unlike earth concrete where it needs time to dry and acquire the appropriate strength. Laboratory work has shown good results as the light density, the large ductility, and an acceptable strength capacity of this material. Keywords: Earth concrete ; Sandy concrete; Macro polypropylene fiber; Concrete strength; Workability; Ductility. 1. Introduction From the beginning of human civilization man has found in natural caves his refuge to protect himself from climate change and animal threats (Jahren 2018). The second leg of the civilization trip was the exploration of natural materials to build its habitat; Thus, man has used the natural materials available in his environment to meet his safety, and family and social obligations (Sparavigna 2011). Hence, from the mud he designed the earth-concrete to build his habitat and his house of worship where earth-concrete is used mainly to form load-bearing walls. However, the poor performance of this material forced the builder to adopt relatively large thicknesses to achieve the structural objectives. At an advanced time, and before the appearance of firebrick, man introduced the fibre of plants to treat the defects of this natural composite material (Sparavigna 2014). Admittedly, this material was characterized by an © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of the ESICC 2023 Organizers