Scholarly record

INFLUENCE OF THE QUANTITY OF NATURAL (ALFA) AND COMMERCIAL (POLYPROPYLENE) FIBERS ON THE PHYSICO-MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF MORTARS

Mohammed Saidi, Dalila Nessah, Hamza Mechakra, Brahim Safi

Abstract

Alfa fibers have been investigated as a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to conventional reinforcement materials such as glass and carbon fibers, which are significantly more expensive and substantially increase the overall cost of mortar production. The present study aims to provide a comprehensive comparative analysis of mortars reinforced with different types of fibers, including mechanically extracted Alfa fibers, chemically treated Alfa fibers, and commercial polypropylene fibers. Fiber-reinforced mortars were prepared by incorporating fibers at varying dosages of 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2% by weight of cement. Standardized testing methods were employed to evaluate the physico-mechanical properties, including compressive strength and flexural strength, ensuring reliable and reproducible results. The findings indicate that the incorporation of fibers significantly enhances the performance of mortars. Optimal fiber contents were identified as 0.5% for polypropylene fibers, 1% for chemically treated Alfa fibers, and 2% for mechanically extracted Alfa fibers. At these optimal dosages, the mortars achieved a compressive strength of 46.41 MPa and a flexural strength of 4.99 MPa. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that mechanically extracted Alfa fibers exhibit superior performance compared to other fiber types, making them particularly suitable for the development of fiber-reinforced mortars. Overall, this study confirms that natural Alfa fibers not only offer competitive mechanical performance but also represent a more economical and environmentally sustainable alternative to commercial fibers in mortar production.

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