Experimental Study On Vettriver Fiber As Strengthening Agent In Concrete

Abstract

Chrysopogon zizanioides, commonly known as Votive, is a naturally available material that is cultivated and exported at highest rate at Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu. As there is huge demand for high strength concrete, government is sponsoring researchers for researching onmaterials that can increase the strength of concrete. Due to the shortage of conventional fibers, need for an alternative material has been raised.In this paper, an experimental investigation has been conducted with natural vetiver (0%,0.2%,0.4%,0.6%,0.8%). In order to use naturally available resource, votive fibers (Chrysopogon zizanioides)with aspect ratio 90 are used. In addition to this, super plasticizer (Conplast SP430) has been used to reduce the water content and to improve the workability. Cubes with size 150mm X 150mm X 150mm were cast to get the compressive strength and beams of size 1200mmX150mmX200mm for getting flexural strength and cylinders of size 150X300mm to get the split tensile strength were cast. The compressive strength of the concrete neared a maximum at 0.4% vetiver addition, being a 40.53% increase over the CC. The split tensile strength and flexural strength of the concrete neared on increasing the volume fraction %, achieving 29.28% and 75.22% increase, respectively, at 0.4% vetiver fiber. Due to the shortage of natural aggregates, need for an alternative material has been raised. Using regression analysis, the compressive strength, flexural strength and split tensile strength equation of recycled aggregates has also been found. By this experimental investigation, Vetiver is found to be the cheap and an effective material to increase the strength of concrete in all aspects.