Experimental Investigation on the Behavior of Recycled Concrete incorporating Date Palm Fibers
Received: 4 February 2025 | Revised: 4 March 2025 | Accepted: 17 March 2025 | Online: 16 April 2025
Corresponding author: Farid Boursas
Abstract
Recently, the use of Recycled Aggregates (RA) and natural fibers as reinforcement in concrete has received increasing attention due to their ability to reduce environmental impact and promote sustainable, cost-effective construction. This study evaluates the mechanical and thermal properties of Date Palm Fiber-Reinforced Recycled Aggregate Concrete (DPFRAC), including compressive strength, flexural strength, and thermal conductivity. A total of nineteen mixes were tested with varying RA substitutions (0%–50% and 100%), Date Palm Fibers (DPF) additions (1%–3%), and combined modifications of DPF (1%–3%) and RA (10%–30%) to assess the synergistic effects. A Superplasticizer (SP) and a Modified Two-Stage Mixing Method (MTSMM) were employed to enhance concrete performance. The findings reveal that the modified mixing method improves compressive strength, especially for RA substitutions below 50%. Adding 2% DPF to concrete with 30% RA improves compressive and flexural strengths by 11.16% and 7.03%, respectively, compared to fiberless Recycled Aggregate Concrete (RAC), achieving a performance close to Natural Aggregate Concrete (NAC). Furthermore, thermal conductivity decreases by 18.27%, enhancing insulation properties. These findings highlight DPFRAC's dual functionality as a structural material with improved thermal efficiency, making it suitable for eco-friendly construction by reducing reliance on virgin materials and minimizing carbon footprints, particularly in arid regions where date palm waste is abundant.
Keywords:
concrete, recycled aggregates, date palm fibers, two-stage mixing, mechanical properties, thermal conductivityDownloads
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Copyright (c) 2025 Fateh Bouzred, Mohamed Salah Laouar, Farid Boursas, Saliha Bouzenada, H'mida Hamidane
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