Enhancing Mechanical Behaviour of Lightweight Foamed Composite Using Palm Oil Empty Fruit Bunch Fibre

Abstract

The inclusion of Palm-oil Empty Fruit Bunch Fibre (PEFBF) into Lightweight Foamed Composite (LFC) presents a viable sustainable material by reducing cement and sand usage, replacing it with foam and natural fibre. This approach achieves both waste utilisation and material conservation while conserving LFC lightweight and functional properties. By incorporating 1.25% volume fraction of PEFBF into LFC at a density of 1300 ± 50 kg/m³, mechanical analysis was conducted through compression, splitting tensile and flexural test. Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM-EDX) analysis was conducted to examine the microstructural bonding and chemical composition. Results indicated that LFC-PEFBF required a higher water-cement ratio to prevent fibre agglomeration, as the inclusion of PEFBF tended to reduce the LFCs consistency and flowability. Moreover, LFC-PEFBF compressive strength showed modest increment, while splitting tensile and flexural strength demonstrated significant increases of up to 16% and 9%, respectively. A performance index evaluation confirmed the positive impact of PEFBF on LFC's mechanical properties at similar densities. SEM-EDX analysis revealed that PEFBF's higher surface roughness, improved fibre-matrix bonding, and effective stress-transfer contributed to the enhanced mechanical behaviour after 56 days of curing. These findings suggest that LFC-PEFBF composites offer a viable and sustainable solution for civil construction applications, promoting innovative and environmentally friendly building practices.