Employing natural fibres to achieve low-carbon flexibly formed concrete structures

PECRE Award Holder: Dr Saverio Spadea, University of Dundee

Exchange Host: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, India

This project aims at exploring the sustainable use in the construction industry of agricultural waste fibres available in the National Capital Region of Delhi.

Pre-tensioned ropes, traditionally manufactured in India from natural fibres such as flax and hemp, will have potential beneficial use in concrete as reinforcement material. Similarly, fabric locally knitted from natural fibres, will be conveniently employed to generate flexible formwork systems, which will allow to achieve non-prismatic concrete shapes.

In addition to the sustainable use of resources, employing natural fibre-based materials in substitution of steel reinforcement and conventional formworks will provide two main advantages:

• Avoiding steel corrosion, which causes aging of reinforced concrete and it is typically associated with high costs and considerable environmental impact

• Being able to cast concrete shapes responding to structural and material optimisation criteria

Analytical and experimental investigation will aim at developing the technology required to conveniently use natural fibres and concrete to obtain a technically reliable material that is durable, effective and convenient.

In view of the large utilisation of concrete, this research may provide solutions to reduce carbon emissions, enhance durability, and promote more affordable construction materials, whereas the agriculture waste will not be required to be burnt anymore, contributing to solve the air pollution issues in developing countries.