Using chemically treated grape

bark fibers in sustainable concrete

The Hashemite University Supervisor: Dr . Bilal Abu Al-Foul
Civil Engineering Department By: Eng. Batoul Alawaisheh
1. Introduction 2.4 Major steps of some tests according to ASTM specifications:
The increasing demand and consumption in various sectors such as industry, mineral
resources, fossil fuels and agriculture resulting from the population increase around 2.4.1 Density, Absorption, and Voids in Hardened Concrete:
the world, in addition to generating huge amounts of waste resulting from these sec-
tors, made sustainable development become an 18 samples [3 samples for each percent] walked through many steps [Oven dried, Im-
inevitable priority to maintain natural resources and try to reduce the negative impact mersed for 24 hours in 20 C water, Boiled for 5 hours and suspended in water bal-
of these sectors on the environment in order to balance the growth of industry and the ance], the following figures show the test process:
ability of the atmosphere to withstand this negative impact.
The use of waste materials as useful engineering materials after processing them in
accordance with the design requirements may contribute to preserving the environ-
ment, as it, in one way or another, reduces the volume of waste.
Currently, the sustainable concrete development is moving towards a new path, which
is the utilize of vegetal fibers in concrete production by using it in different propor-
tions to reach better concrete properties and to investigate the ability of green con-
crete to be utilized as an alternative to traditional buildings and facilities concrete..
This research aims to present and investigate a new waste material utilized as a fiber
material added to the concrete. The new, waste material that will be
investigated is grape bark.
Several standard tests conducted ac-
cording to the “American Society for Fig5. Density, Absorption% and void % process.
Testing and Materials” (ASTM)
standards for concrete samples pre- 2.4.2 Resistance of Concrete to Rapid Freezing and Thawing:
pared from grape bark fiber concrete
and normal concrete. 18 samples [3 samples for each percent] were stored for 14 days, then immersed with
Exhaustion of mineral aggregates, En- saturated lime water (CaOH₂) at (23º ± 2) for 48 hours before the test.
ergy consumption resulting from Using the Ultra Pulse Velocity (UPV) apparatus, the fundamental transverse frequency
aggregate production and carbon di- were measured.
oxide emission leads to the search for The samples were placed in a plastic jars with dimensions (21cm* 11cm) with a small
alternative resources that can be used bulge at the bottom to lift the sample to ensure that surrounded the specimens all
to maintain and possibly improve the around with a 5 mm water shell.
mechanical properties of concrete. The samples were placed in the rabid freeze thaw machine and programed starting
Fig1. Grapevine before peeling the bark
This proposal aims to investigate the with the thaw phase, the fundamental transverse frequency has been re-measured each
effect of grape bark on the density, absorption%, and voids %¹, compression 29 cycles [10 days and 20 hours].
strength²,
splitting tensile strength³, flexural strength⁴, and the resistance of frequent freeze-
thaw cycles for concrete samples⁵. Furthermore, it provides a new mix design aim to

2. Experimental Program

2.1 Grape bark fiber preparation:

Different lengths of the bark were

approved to maintain its randomness
as a waste material,
but at the same time as a material that
can be added to the concrete mix.
The lengths of the fibers ranged was Fig5. Main phases at resistance of concrete to rapid freezing and thawing process.
between (2 mm to 50 mm).
Fig2. Grape bark random lengths
2.2 Grape bark chemical treatment:
2.4.3 Compressive Strength of Cylindrical Concrete Specimens:
The grape bark fibers were Immersed in NAOH for 24 hours at a concentration of 2.5%
to comply the international definition of fibers concrete. A compressive axial load were applied on the 18 speci-
A soapy shining texture were noticed after the alkaline treatment. A 40°C electric oven mens [3 samples for each percent] to failure using the
were used for 90 minutes to dry the fibers. MTS apparatus, the samples was capped both ends with
gypsum according to the ASTM to ensure the
uniform distribution of the load.

Using this device was due to it's displays the behavior of

the sample at each part of second during the gradual ap-
plication of load to it, as it contributes to understanding
how concrete samples are affected by the load applied to
them by displaying the load-deflection curve for each
sample.
This device can be used in several experiments, including
the compression strength, the tensile strength of steel and
composite materials, flexural strength test for concrete
specimens, and more.
Fig3. Grape bark chemical treatment

2.3 Test specimens:

Fig6. compression test using MTS apparatus
To investigate the applicability and effectiveness of using a grape bark as a new fiber
type, six percentages of vegetable fiber[0%, 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, 2%, 2.5%] " percentage 2.4.3 Splitting Tensile Strength of Cylindrical Concrete specimens :
from the mix mass" were examined to explore the effect of this new fiber on the mechan-
ical properties of the concrete. Triaxial compression was applied using a splitting tensile apparatus to determine
Samples were casted to figure out these mechanical properties with 15 cm slump (high the splitting tensile strength of the specimens, a triaxial compression was used
slump) because the bark fibers expected to push the mix to be drier while its percent in- to lead to tensile failure instead of compressive failure.
creased, 90 samples were casted; 72 cylindrical samples with (10 cm * 20 cm) and 18
sample in shape of rectangular prisms with (15cm * 15cm * 60cm).

Fig7. Splitting tensile test process

Fig3. Casted samples.