Tensile properties of glass/natural jute fibre-reinforced polymer bars for concrete reinforcement

Abstract

The tensile performance of glass/natural jute fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) bar, intended for concrete reinforcement was evaluated as a function of volume fraction of natural jute fibre. Natural jute fibre, mixed at a ratio of 7:3 with vinyl ester, was surface-treated with a silane coupling agent and used to replaced glass fibre in the composite in volume fractions of 0%, 30%, 50%, 70%, and 100%. The tensile load-displacement curve showed nearly linear elastic behaviour up to 50% natural jute fibre, but was partially nonlinear at a proportion of 70%. However, the glass/natural jute FRP bars prepared using 100% natural jute fibre showed linear elastic behaviour. Tensile strength decreased as the natural jute fibre volume fraction increased because the tensile strength of natural jute fibre is much lower than that of glass fibre (about 1:8.65). The degree of reduction was not proportional to the natural jute fibre volume fraction due to the low density of natural jute fibre (1/2 that of glass fibre). Thus, as the mix proportion of natural jute fibre increased, the amount (wt%) and number of fibres used also increased.