World Journal of Civil Engineering and Construction Technology

Vol. 3(1), pp. 057-064, June, 2019. © www.premierpublishers.org. ISSN: 1936-868X

Research Article

Study of Flexural Strength and Flexural Modulus of

Reinforced Concrete Beams with Raffia Palm Fibers
*1Akpokodje, O.I., 2Uguru, H. and 3Esegbuyota, D
1,3Department of Civil Engineering Technology, Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro, Nigeria
2Department of Agricultural and Bio-Environmental Engineering Technology, Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro, Nigeria

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of raffia palm fibre on some mechanical
behaviour (flexural strength, flexural modulus, water absorption rate and density) of concrete. A
concrete mix ratio of 1:2:4 was used for the concrete beams production, while a water to cement
ratio (w/c) of 0.5 was adopted. In the study, three different fibre lengths (10, 20 and 30 mm) and
three different fibre content (volume) by mass of fine aggregate (1, 2 and 3%) were considered.
According to the results of the preliminary test carried out on the fine aggregate, it had a silt
content of 1.6%, a moisture content of 8.3%, and a specific gravity of 2.95. Flexural properties of
the beams were tested in accordance with ASTM recommended procedures after 28 curing days.
Results obtained showed that fibre volume had significant (p ≤0.05) effect on the flexural strength
and flexural modulus of the beams. The flexural strength and flexural modulus decreased linearly
as the fibre volume increased from 0% to 3%. According to the results, the fibre reinforced beams
were more ductile, when compared to the unreinforced concrete beams. In addition, the densities
of the beams decreased with increase in the fibre volume; while their water absorption rate
increased with increase in the fibre volume. The low densities and brittleness of the reinforced
beams (at low volume) made them good building materials, especially when heavy weight beams
are a problem, provided the beams are not exposed to high moisture levels.

Keywords: Raffia palm fibres; concrete, flexural strength, flexural modulus, density

INTRODUCTION
Concrete is one of the most widely used construction
material in the construction and building industries, which
are among the most active sectors in the world. Concrete
is a mineral composite, which consists of fine and coarse
aggregates, water, and a binding agent (generally
cement), and in some cases admixtures and additives
(Lafarge, 2009). Globally, the utilization of concrete in
building and construction is twice the total amount of all
other building materials used, i.e. wood, steel, plastic and
aluminum. According to statistics from the Cement
Association of Canada, the annual global production of
concrete stands at about 4 billion cubic meters, this is
spread unequally in more than 120 countries (Ecosmart,
2019). By 2025, the world population is expected to rise by
about 35%, rising up to about 10 billion people. Therefore,
about two billion additional human beings will need
adequate shelter to ensure their mobility. This will further
contribute to the menace of climate change and energy
efficiency, because presently the building industry
accounts for about 39% of the world’s energy consumption
and 42% of its CO2 emissions (Lafarge, 2009). To curb this
menace, sustainable construction methods are been
developed for the building and construction industries.
Sustainable construction involves limiting the negative
environmental impacts of buildings, while guaranteeing
them superior quality in terms of aesthetics, durability and
resistance. The International Council of Building (CIB)
stated that sustainable construction is responsible for
creating and maintaining a healthy built-up environment,
based on the efficient use of resources and following
ecological principles (Yan and Chouw, 2014). The usage
*Corresponding Author: Akpokodje O.I., Department of
Civil Engineering Technology, Delta State Polytechnic,
Ozoro, Nigeria.
E-mail: erobo2011@gmail.com; Tel: +234-8035420074

Study of Flexural Strength and Flexural Modulus of Reinforced Concrete Beams with Raffia Palm Fibers
Akpokodje et al. 058
of plant-based products is of great advantage in
sustainable construction, since it creates new prospects
for these products, it preserves the natural resources, and
it will not alter the conventional construction methods. On
the basis of this, the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA) and the United States Department of
Energy (USDE) had set goals of having at least 10% of all
basic building blocks and concrete produced from
renewable and plant-based sources by 2020, which will be
increased to 50% by 2050 (Yan et al., 2014). The use of
biomaterials to replace these synthetic fibres as
reinforcement or partial replacement has been a growing
interest for different engineering applications. This is
because natural fibres are biodegradability, less dense but
with high specific strength, moth-proof, resistant to fungi
attacks, provide excellent insulation against sound, flame-
retardant, tough and durable (Ali et al., 2012; Yan, 2012;
Umurhurhu and Uguru, 2019). The use of
chemical/synthesized fibres will inevitably result in
environmental pollution. Therefore, the reinforcement of
cement-stabilized soil using fibers or blocks obtained from
waste materials has emerged as a hot research topic and
many studies been conducted by several researchers (Lv
and Zhou, 2019).
Researches on new building materials have been on for
the past decades, with the sole aim of developing low cost
construction materials that can be affordable to the people.
Cheap and standard building materials are necessary for
the construction of low-cost housing estates, and other
structures. Composites are a versatile and valuable family
of materials that can solve problems of different
applications and facilitate the introduction of new
properties in materials (Gon et al., 2012). Park (2009)
carried out a series of unconfined compression tests on
samples reinforced with fibres. He reported that a fibre
reinforced specimen was twice as strong as a non-fibre-
reinforced specimen. The author also reported that a
specimen with five fiber inclusion layers was 1.5 times
stronger than a specimen with one fibre inclusion layer.
According to Aho and Ndububa, (2015) concrete beams
reinforced with raffia palm fruit peel fibres improved their
flexural strength but resulted in reduction of their
compressive strength. Ahmad et al. (2014) reported that
the flexural strength of beam increases when we use
bamboo stick as reinforcement in concrete. The flexural
strength of doubly bamboo reinforced beams reached up
to 80MPa as compare to 48MPa for concrete beams
without any reinforcements. The maximum deflection at
the mid span reaches up to 1mm approximates. Mostafa
and Uddin, (2015) studied the behaviour of mortar
reinforced with different percent of coconut and banana
fibres. They observed that the maximum tensile strength
and modulus of rupture of mortar composite increased up
to certain fibre content (percent), before the values
dropped as the fibre volume increases. Similarly,
Estabragh et al. (2012) studied the effects of fibre volume,
cement volume, and curing age on the unconfined
compressive strength of cement-stabilized clay. They
Study of Flexural Strength and Flexural Modulus of Reinforced Concrete Beams with Raffia Palm Fibers
observed that nylon fibres could not only increase the
unconfined compressive strength and peak strain of
cement-stabilized clay but also facilitate a transition from
brittle failure to ductile failure. Reinforced cement has been
shown to significantly improve the mechanical properties
of soils and is hence widely used in soft soil foundation
treatment, backfilling of retaining walls, roadbed
reinforcement of roads and railways, etc. (Kim et al., 2008;
Lv and Zhou, 2019).
Proper waste disposal and recycling of waste materials
have become a critical issue in Nigeria, from the
environmental protection point of view. Therefore, the use
of plant-based fibres to reinforce concrete beams will not
only be beneficial to the engineering field, but also solve
significant environmental problem. The objectives of this
study were to:
(i) Investigate the flexural behaviour of raffia palm fibre
reinforced concrete beams and comparison of these
results with that of unreinforced concrete beams.
(ii) Evaluate the effect of raffia palm fibre volume and
length on the water absorption rate and density of
concrete beams.
MATERIALS AND METHOD
Materials
The following materials were used for the production of the
concrete beams.
Cement: Ordinary Portland cement (Manufactured by
Dangote), was used as the binder in the production of the
reinforced concrete beams. The cement was of grade
42.5, which was in compliance with Nigeria Industrial
Standard (NIS, 2003; Esegbuyota et al., 2018).
Water: Fresh tap water (pH 7.5 and electrical conductivity
30 μS/cm) was used for the study. The water met the
Nigeria Industrial Standard (NIS) recommendation.
Raffia palm fibres: The raffia palm fibres were purchased
from a local market located at Otor - Owhe, Delta State,
Nigeria. They were air-dried in the laboratory at an ambient
temperature of 29±4oC for two weeks. Thickness of the
fibres was measured with the aid of a digital micrometer,
and the fibres thickness ranged between 0.027 and 0.032
mm (Figure 1). These fibres were cut in three length sizes
(10mm, 20 mm and 30 mm).
Fine aggregate: The fine aggregate used in this study was
obtained from Ase River in Delta State, Nigeria (Figure 1).
The fine aggregate was air dried at the Civil Engineering
soil laboratory, Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro, Nigeria for
two weeks. Sieve analysis was carried out on the fine
aggregate to determine their suitability for concrete
production.
 World J. Civ. Engin. Constr. Techn. 059

Coarse aggregate: The coarse aggregate was free from
deleterious materials like silt, plant roots, etc. (Figure 1).
According to NIS recommendation, coarse aggregate
which are to be used for concrete production must be
clean, hard, and free from chemicals or any materials that
could cause the deterioration of concrete.
W3 = Weight of the bottle and its content filled with distilled
water up to the meniscus.
W4 = Weight of the bottle filled with distilled water to the
meniscus.
All the tests were carried out at the Concrete laboratory of
the Department of Civil Engineering Technology, Delta
State Polytechnic, Ozoro, Nigeria, at ambient temperature
(29±4oC). Four blocks from each sample were tested and
the average value was recorded.

Concrete production

Batching of the Constituent Materials: Weight batching

Figure 1: Constituent materials method was applied in measuring the constituent materials
(cement, fine aggregate, coarse aggregate, raffia palm
Method fibres and water), used for this study. Batching required
stringent quality and quantity control applied
Preliminary analysis of the fine aggregate systematically for every batch mixed. An electronic
weighing balance was used in weighing the constituent
Sieve analysis: Sieve analysis was also carried out on the materials.
fine aggregate to ascertain their suitability for concrete
production in accordance with NIS recommendation. Mixing: The concrete was mixed in accordance with the
Before the sieve analysis, the fine aggregate was oven- appropriate batching as related to this study. A nominal
dried with an electric laboratory oven at a temperature of volumetric concrete mix ratio (in volume) of 1:2:4 (cement:
65±3oC for 24 hours. A set of sieves was then arranged in fine aggregate: coarse aggregate) was adopted for the
descending order; the largest aperture sieve was placed at production of the concrete beams, while a water cement
the top, followed by the immediate smaller sieve, until the ratio 0.5 was applied. The partial replacement of the fine
smallest aperture sieve which was placed at the bottom aggregate with raffia palm fibres is shown in Table 1.
just before the pan. One kilogram of the fine aggregate Mechanical mixing method was employed in mixing the
was poured into the uppermost sieve of the arranged sieve constituent materials; this was to obtain a homogenous
set, and vibrated vigorously with the aid of a mechanical mixture.
sieve shaker. After that, each sieve was carefully removed
from the set, and the fine aggregate retained in each sieve Table 1: Proportions of raffia palm fibres in the concrete
was weighed and recorded. The cumulative weight of fine Sample Fibre length (mm) Fibre mass (%)
aggregate passing through each sieve was calculated as 1(control) - -
a percentage of the total sample weight (Odeyemi et al., 2 10 1
2018; (Akpokodje and Uguru, 2019). 3 10 2
4 10 3
Moisture content determination: The moisture content 5 20 1
of the fine aggregate was determined gravimetrically, in 6 20 2
accordance with the standard procedures described by 7 20 3
Akpokodje et al. (2018) and calculated using equation 1. 8 30 1
𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑒𝑡 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 − 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑟𝑦 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒
9 30 2
𝑀𝑐 (𝑤𝑒𝑡 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑠) = × 100 10 30 3
𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑒𝑡 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒
(1)
Concrete beam production: The concrete beams were
Specific gravity determination: The specific gravity of produced in accordance with the specifications given in
the fine aggregate was determined using standard Table 1. During the concrete beams production; the
methods stated by AOAC (2019), and calculated using constituent materials were mixed thoroughly to form a
equation 2. homogenous mixture, and the concrete formed was
transferred into standard steel mould (500 x 100 x 100
𝑊2 −𝑊1 mm) and then rammed thirty six times. The cast concrete
𝑆𝑔 = (𝑊 (2)
4 −𝑊1 )−(𝑊3 −𝑊2 ) beams (Figure 2) were covered with polyethylene sheet
and left open in a shade under ambient environmental
W1 = Weight of the empty bottle conditions for twenty four hours, before they were de-
W2 = Weight of the bottle filled fine aggregate. moulded and cured.

Study of Flexural Strength and Flexural Modulus of Reinforced Concrete Beams with Raffia Palm Fibers
Akpokodje et al. 060
Figure 2: Cast concrete beams
Curing: The concrete beams were cured after 24 hours by
total immersion in water for 28 days. Curing was important
to the concrete beams, because it facilitates proper
hydration and hardening of the concrete (Akpokodje and
Uguru, 2019).
Flexural test
The flexural test of the concrete beams was done in
accordance to ASTM recommended procedure of three
points loading. A Concrete Compression Testing Machine,
with a maximum loading capacity of 1000 KN was
employed for the flexural test. During the test, individual
beam was placed in the machine (Figure 3), and loaded
slowly until failure occurred. A digital caliper was attached
to the machine to measure the central deflection of the
sample. The failure force and the corresponding deflection
were displayed on the screen of the machine and
recorded. Flexural strength and Flexural modulus of the
concrete beams were computed using equations 3 and 4.
Flexural strength
3𝑊𝐿
𝑆= 2 (3)
2𝑏𝑑
Flexural modulus
𝐿3 𝐹
𝐹𝑚 = (4)
4𝑏𝑑 2 𝑦
Where:
S = Flexural strength of the concrete beam at the cross-
sectional plane of failure (MPa),
Fm = Flexural modulus of the concrete (MPa or GPa),
W = Maximum load indicated by the testing machine (N),
L = Concrete beam Span (mm),
b = Average width of the concrete beam at the plane of
failure (mm),
d = Average depth of the concrete beam at the plane of
failure (mm).
y = Deflection of the beam corresponding to the load (mm)
Study of Flexural Strength and Flexural Modulus of Reinforced Concrete Beams with Raffia Palm Fibers
Figure 3: Flexural testing of a concrete beam
Concrete beam density: The density of a substance is
the relationship between the mass of the substance to its
volume. The concrete beams were weighed at each test
day, with electronic weighing balance having accuracy of
0.01 Kg. The three principal dimensions (length, width and
height) of the beams were measured with a digital vernier
caliper, having accuracy of 0.01 mm. Then the density of
each beam was calculated as the ratio of the weight to the
volume of the beam, as shown in equation 5.
𝐷𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 =
𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠
(5)
𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒
Water absorption rate: The water absorption rate of the
concrete beams was carried out in accordance with
standard procedure recommended by BS EN 771. Four
dried concrete beams were selected at random and
weighed using electronic weighing balance. The beams
were completely immersed in cool fresh water (pH 7.5 and
electrical conductivity 31 μS/cm) at ambient water
temperature (25±50C) for 24 hours. After which they were
brought out of the water, wrapped dry with a trowel, and
their weights taken again. The water absorption rate of
each beam was calculated using equation 6.
𝑀𝑎 −𝑀𝑏
𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑏𝑠𝑜𝑟𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = (6)
𝑀𝑏
Ma = weight of block after soaking in water
Mb = weight of block before soaking in water
All the tests were carried out at the Concrete laboratory of
the Department of Civil Engineering Technology, Delta
State Polytechnic, Ozoro, Nigeria, at ambient temperature
(29±4oC). Four blocks from each sample were tested and
the average value was recorded.

Statistical analysis
The results obtained from this study were subjected to
Analysis of variance using SPSS statistical software
(version 20.0, SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL). Then the mean was
separated using Duncan’s Multiple Range Tests at 95%
confidence level.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Fine aggregate analysis
Sieve analysis: The result of the particle size distribution
of the fine aggregate is shown in Figure 4. As shown in
Figure 4, the fine aggregate was well graded (with a silt
content of 1.6%) and met the NIS recommendation. The
permissible value for silt content in fine aggregate used for
concrete production is 6%. Concrete strength is lowered
with increasing silt content present in fine aggregate used
for the concrete production. According to Cho (2013), the
compressive strength of concrete samples decreased from
5 MPa to 3 MPa when the silt content of the fine aggregate
increases from 7% to 9%. Fine aggregate that passed
through the75 µm (No. 200) sieve are considered as the
silt content.
120
100
80
% Passing
60
40
20
0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5
seive size (mm
Figure 4: Particle size distribution of the fine aggregate.
Moisture content: The result of the moisture content of
the fine aggregate was 8.6% (Table 2). The moisture
content was below the maximum value of 12%
recommended by the Nigeria Industrial Standard.
Specific gravity: The mean specific gravity of the fine
aggregate used for the concrete production was 2.95
(Table 2). High specific gravity of the fine aggregate
contributes to the high concrete density.
Table 2: Characteristics of the fine aggregate
Parameter Value
Moisture content (%wb) 8.6± 0.44
Specific gravity 2.95±0.03
Values are means ± standard deviation
Study of Flexural Strength and Flexural Modulus of Reinforced Concrete Beams with Raffia Palm Fibers
World J. Civ. Engin. Constr. Techn. 061
Mechanical behaviour of raffia palm fibre reinforced
concrete
Flexural strength: Results of the flexural strength of the
concrete are shown in Figure 5. According to the results
(Figure 5), the flexural strength of the concrete decreased
with increase in the fibre volume. The concrete flexural
strength decreased from 5.56 MPa (for the control) to 2.28
MPa for concrete reinforced with 3% (30mm) fibres. As
shown in Figure 5, fibre volume had significant effect on
the flexural strength of the concrete. The flexural strength
decreased linearly as the fibres volume increased from 1%
to 3%. At 1% fibre (10 mm) volume, average flexural
strength of 4.01 MPa was recorded; this value decreased
to 2.65 MPa as the fibre volume increased to 3% (30 mm).
This variation could be attributed to the poor bonding of the
reinforcement (fibres) materials, as their volume increased
from 1% to 3%, thereby creating voids within the concrete
leading to weaker interfacial adhesion. Furthermore, the
results showed that fibre lengths did not significantly (p
≤0.05) affect the concrete flexural strength; although there
was a gradual reduction in the concrete flexural strength,
as the fibre length increased from 10 mm to 30 mm. Islam
et al. (2012) observed that the flexural strength of concrete
reinforced by 0.5% coir fibres increased by 60%. Ali et al.
(2013), reported that using local materials as
reinforcement of concrete is more economical than the
construction of earthquake-resistant structures with steel
reinforcement.
Figure 6 presents the load-deflection curves and failure
modes of the unreinforced cement concrete (CC) and the
fibre reinforced cement concrete (RCC). It can be seen in
Figure 6 that the inclusion of raffia palm fibres inclusion
makes concrete more ductile compared to the CC. The
unreinforced concrete exhibited brittle failure behaviour.
On the average, concrete reinforced with 3% fibres had
higher deflection (better ductility) than other RCC samples
with 1% or 2% fibre reinforcement. Similar results were
obtain by Rai1and Joshi (2014) and Yan and Chouw
3 3.5 4 (2014). Rai1and Joshi (2014) reported that addition of coir
fibres to concrete increased its flexural properties by about
10%. Yan and Chouw (2014) observed that concrete
reinforced with coir fibres had higher deflection on loading
when compared with unreinforced concrete samples.
Flexural modulus: The flexural modulus of the concrete
samples is presented in Figure 7. Compared with the
control samples, the raffia palm fibres inclusion reduced
the flexural modulus depending on the fibre volume and
fibre length used. As shown in Figure 7, the unreinforced
(control) concrete which was considered as a reference for
the evaluation had flexural modulus of 920.91 MPa. The
concrete with fibre length of 10 mm (1% volume) had best
flexural modulus (392.15 MPa) when compare to the other
concrete samples with other fibre lengths and contents.
For all the reinforced concrete cases, statistically, fibre
lengths did not significantly (p ≤0.05) affect the flexural
modulus of the concrete samples. The results obtained
Akpokodje et al. 062

6 6
a
Control
1% Fibres
5 2% Fibres 5
CC
3% Fibres
1% RCC
b 2% RCC
b 3% RCC
Flexural Strength (MPa)

4 c 4
b
c

Load (KN)
d
3 c 3
d
d
2 2

1 1

0 0
Control 10 mm 20 mm 30 mm 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5
Fibres lenght and Volume Deflection (mm)

Figure 5: Effect of fibre content and its length on the Figure 6: Load –deflection curves of the concrete beams
flexural strength of concrete during flexural testing
Different common letters on columns represent statistical CC = Unreinforced cement concrete; RCC = Reinforced
differences (p ≤0.05) using Duncan’s multiple range test. cement concrete

from this study are in conformity with the previous study of density. Boob, 2014, reported a similar trend for sawdust
Ali et al. (2012). Ali et al. (2012) investigated the reinforced blocks, where the density decreased from 2400
mechanical properties of coir fibre reinforced concrete Kg/m3 to 1800 Kg/m3, as the sawdust content increased
(CFRC) of different fibre lengths and fibre volume, and from 0% to 20%. In contrast, Musa and Abubakar (2018)
observed a decrease in the static modulus of elasticity of observed an increment in sandcrete blocks density, as the
the concrete as the fibre volume and lengths increased. steel fibre reinforcement increased; which they attributed
to the higher steel fibre density compare to that of the fine
1000
aggregate they replaced.
a
900
2450
800
2400 Control
700 1% Fibres
Control
2% Fibres
Flexural modulus (MPa)

1% Fibres 2350
3% Fibres
600 2% Fibres
3% Fibres 2300
500
Density (kg/m3)

2250
400 b
b
b 2200
300 c
c
c 2150
d
200 d
d
2100
100
2050
0
Control 10 mm 20 mm 30 mm 2000
Fibres lenght and Volume
1950
Figure 7: Effect of fibre volume and its length on the Control 10 mm 20 mm 30 mm
Fibres lenght and Volume
flexural modulus of concrete
Different common letters on columns represent statistical Figure 8: Effect of fibre volume and its length on concrete
differences (p ≤0.05) using Duncan’s multiple range test. density

Concrete density: As presented in Figure 8, the concrete Water Absorption: The effect of fibre volume and lengths
density decreased with increase in the fibres volume and on the water absorption rate of raffia palm reinforced
length. The unreinforced concrete had the highest density concrete is presented in Figure 9. As shown in Figure 9,
(2425 kg/m3), while the 3% (30 mm) fibre reinforced the concrete water absorption rate was highly dependent
concrete had the lowest density (2117 Kg/m3). As showed on the fibre volume. The water absorption rate increased
in Figure 8, fibre length had no significant (p ≤0.05) effect linearly as the fibre volume increased from 1% to 3%. The
on the concrete density, but fibre volume significantly (p minimum water absorption rate was recorded in the
≤0.05) influenced the concrete density. This means that unreinforced concrete (8.14%), while the maximum water
fibre length did not play a significant role in the concrete absorption rate (13.44%) was recorded in the concrete

Study of Flexural Strength and Flexural Modulus of Reinforced Concrete Beams with Raffia Palm Fibers

reinforced with 30 mm (3% volume) raffia palm fibres, after
28 days of curing. The water absorption rates recorded for
concrete reinforced with 1% fibres; across the three fibres
lengths, fall within water absorption limits recommended
for concrete in the Nigeria Industrial Standard. The higher
water absorption rate for the fibre reinforced concrete
could be attributed to the cellular structure of the raffia
fibres, and the high void ratio induced within the concrete,
leading to higher water permeability (Esegbuyota et al.,
2019). According to Ugwuishiwu et al. (2013), fibres are
responsible for the high absorption of water in fibre
reinforced blocks, while the blocks densities decreased
with the increase in fibre volume. Water absorption is
appreciable to an extent, but excessive of it causes defects
in the block work, such as, shrinkage of block after drying,
cracking of blocks, opening of the joints, etc. (Boob, 2014).
The mechanical properties of raffia fibre are affected by
the local climate; e.g. rainfall and temperature during
growth; maturity stage of the fibres; fibres extraction
method, i.e. type of retting method, separating conditions;
storage conditions; age of fibres and type surface
treatment. The mechanical mixing of the concrete’s
constituent materials increased the distribution of fibres,
thereby creating homogeneity of the mixture. This helps to
enhance the concrete’s flexural strength, reduce the water
absorption rate, and improves the concrete tensile
strength. Dahunsi (2000) reported that cement matrices
reinforced with natural materials have been adapted to
various uses such as construction of reservoirs, pipes,
floors and concrete covers.
16
14
12
Water absorption rate (%)
10
8 Control
6 3% Fibres
4 concrete. Constr and Build Mater 30: 814-825
2
0
Control 10 mm
Fibres lenght and Volume
Figure 9: Effect of fibre volume and length on concrete
water absorption rate
CONCLUSION
This study was carried out to investigate the effect of raffia
palm fibre volume and length on some mechanical
(flexural strength, flexural modulus, density and water
absorption) of concrete samples. The concrete samples
were prepared and tested according to ASTM
Study of Flexural Strength and Flexural Modulus of Reinforced Concrete Beams with Raffia Palm Fibers
World J. Civ. Engin. Constr. Techn. 063
recommended standards. Results obtained from the study
showed that the mechanical properties of the concrete
were highly dependent on the fibre volume. Flexural
strength of the concrete decreased from 5.56 MPa in the
control (unreinforced) concrete to 2.28 MPa in the
concrete reinforced with 3% (30 mm) raffia palm fibre.
Similarly, the flexural modulus decreased linearly from
920.91 MPa in the control concrete to 153.15 MPa in the
concrete reinforced with 3% fibre. In contrast, the water
absorption of the concrete increased with increase in the
fibre volume and length. At 0% fibre volume, the water
absorption rate was 8.14%, which increased to 12.78% as
the fibre volume and length increased to 3% and 30 mm.
Results obtained from this study showed the prospects of
utilizing raffia palm fibres at low volume reinforcement, in
building components that are not exposed to high moisture
levels. Flexural strength will however be impaired but
ductility is improved.
REFERENCES
Ahmad S, Raza A, Gupta H. (2014). Mechanical
Properties of Bamboo Fibre Reinforced Concrete. 2nd
International Conference on Research in Science,
Engineering and Technology (ICRSET’2014), (UAE).
Aho I O, Ndububa E E. (2015). Compressive and flexural
strength of cement mortar stabilized with raffia palm
fruit peel (RPEP). Global Journal of Engineering
Research, 4: 1-7
Akpokodje O I, Uguru H. (2019. Effect of fermented
cassava waste water as admixture on some physic-
mechanical properties of solid sandcrete blocks.
International Journal of Engineering Trends &
Technology (IJETT), Article in Press
Akpokodje O I, Uguru H, Esegbuyota D. (2018).
Remediation of cassava effluent contaminated soil
using organic soap solution: Case study of soil physical
properties and plant growth performance. Journal of
1% Fibres Scientific Research and Reports. 21(3): 1-11.
2% Fibres
Ali M, Liu A, Sou H, Chouw N (2012) Mechanical and
dynamic properties of coconut fibre reinforced
Aliv M, Briet R, Chouw N. (2013). Dynamic response of
mortar-free interlocking structures.
AOAC. Official Methods of Analysis of AOAC
20 mm 30 mm INTERNATIONAL, 21st Edition. Association Official
Analytical Chemists, Washington, DC., USA. 2019
Boob T N. (2014). Performance of saw-dust in low cost
sandcrete blocks, American Journal of Engineering
Research. 3(4):197-206.
Cho S. (2013). Effect of silt fines on the durability
properties of concrete. Journal of Applied Science and
Engineering, 16 (4): 425-430
Construction and Building Materials, 42: 168-189.
Dahunsi B I O. (2000). The Properties and Potential
Applications of Ratton Canes as Reinforcement
Material in Concrete. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis,
Department of Agric. Engineering, University of Ibadan.
Akpokodje et al. 064

Ecosmart (2019). “Concrete”. Available at:
http://ecosmartconcrete.com/?page_id=208. Retrieved
on 2nd July, 2019.
Esegbuyota D, Akpokodje O I, Uguru H. (2019). Physical
characteristics and compressive strength of raffia fibre
reinforced sandcrete blocks. Direct Research Journal of
Engineering and Information Technology, 6(1):1-8
Estabragh A R, Namdar P, Javadi A A. (2012). Behavior of
cement-stabilized clay reinforced with nylon fiber.
Geosynthetics International, 19(1): 85–92.
Gon D, Das K, Paul P, Maity S. (2012). Jute composites
as wood substitute. International Journal of Textile
Science, 1(6):84-93.
Islam S M, Hussain R R, Morshed M A Z. (2012). Fiber-
reinforced concrete incorporating locally available
natural fibers in normal- and high-strength concrete and
a performance analysis with steel fiber-reinforced
composite concrete. Journal of Composite Materials,
46: 111-122.
Kim Y, Kim H J, Lee G H. (2008). Mechanical behavior of
lightweight soil reinforced with waste fishing net.
Geotextiles and Geomembranes, 26(6): 512–518.
Lafarge (2009). “Lafarge: Concrete reborn.” Available at:
https://www.lafargeholcim.com/sites/default/files/impor
t/press_kit/10012008-press_themabook-
Columbia_2008-uk.pdf retrieved on 20th August, 2019.
Lv X, Zhou H. (2019). Shear characteristics of cement-
stabilized sand reinforced with waste polyester fiber
fabric blocks. Advances in Materials Science and
Engineering, 2019:1-12
Mostafa M, Uddin N. (2015). Effect of banana fibers on
the compressive and flexural strength of compressed
earth blocks. Buildings. 5: 282-296;
Musa N M, Abubakar M. (2018). Effects of tyre steel fibre
reinforcement on sandcrete blocks. Nigerian Journal of
Technology. 37(4): 875 – 879
NIS-444. (2003). Quality standard for ordinary Portland
cement. Standard Organization of Nigeria, Lagos,
Nigeria
Odeyemi S O, Akinpelu MA, Atoyebi O D, Orire K J.
(2018). Quality assessment of sandcrete blocks
produced in Adeta, Kwara state. Nigeria. Nigerian
Journal of Technology, 37(1):53 – 59.
Park S S. (2009). Effect of fiber reinforcement and
distribution on unconfined compressive strength of
fiber-reinforced cemented sand. Geotextiles and
Geomembranes, 27(2): 162–166.
Rai1 A, Joshi Y P (2014). Applications and properties of
fibre reinforced concrete. International Journal of
Engineering Research and Applications. 4(5): 123-131
Ugwuishiwu B O, Mama B O, Okoye N M. (2013). Effect of
natural fibre reinforcement on water absorption of
compressed Stabilized earth blocks. International
Journal of Scientific Research, 2 (11):165-167
Umurhurhu B, Uguru H (2019). Tensile behaviour of oil
bean pod shell and mahogany sawdust reinforced
epoxy resin composite. International Journal of
Science, Technology and Society. 7(1):1-7. doi:
10.11648/j.ijsts.20190701.11
Yan L. (2012). Effect of alkali treatment on vibration
characteristics and mechanical properties of natural
fabric reinforced composites. Journal of Reinforced
Plastics and Composites, 31(13): 887-896.
Yan LB, Chouw N, Jayaraman K. (2014) Effect of
triggering and polyurethane foam-filler on axial crushing
and natural flax/epoxy composite tubes. Mater and
Des., 56: 528-541.
Yan LB, Chouw N. (2014). Sustainable Concrete and
Structures with Natural Fibre Reinforcement.
Infrastructure Corrosion and Durability – A
Sustainability Study. Editor: Yang Lu, OMICS Group
Incorporation.
Accepted 24 May 2019
Citation: Akpokodje OI, Uguru H, Esegbuyota D (2019).
Study of Flexural Strength and Flexural Modulus of
Reinforced Concrete Beams with Raffia Palm Fibers.
World Journal of Civil Engineering and Construction
Technology, 3(1): 057-064.
Copyright: © 2019 Akpokodje et al. This is an open-
access article distributed under the terms of the Creative
Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted
use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original author and source are cited.

Study of Flexural Strength and Flexural Modulus of Reinforced Concrete Beams with Raffia Palm Fibers